The Division of Transportation (DOT) cruise crime statistics, mandated by the 2010 Cruise Vessel Safety and Security Act, proceed to point out that Carnival Cruise Line stays by far the most definitely cruise line to expertise bodily and sexual violence at sea.
Assaults With Severe Bodily Damage
Carnival Cruise Line reported eight (8) assaults with severe bodily damage within the first three month of this yr. No different cruise line reported a single act of violence leading to severe accidents within the first quarter of this yr. Final yr (2023), there have been a complete or twenty-two (22) violent bodily assaults resulting in severe damage all through the cruise trade. Carnival Cruise Line had the bulk (14) of such incidents.
Sexual Violence
The primary quarter DOT cruise crime knowledge additionally reveals that Carnival Cruise Line stays the cruise model with probably the most sexual violence at sea. Carnival Cruise line reported that there have been 9 (9) cases of sexual assault / rape on its twenty-seven ships, with Royal Caribbean (with the identical variety of ships however the next variety of passengers) having eight (8) such crimes.
General, all cruise traces reported a complete of thirty-two (32) sexual assaults / rapes for the primary quarter of 2024. The DOT knowledge for the fourth quarter of final yr (2023) reveals that fleet-wide for all cruise traces there have been thirty-three (33) sexual assaults / rapes, bringing the entire annual variety of sexual assaults / rapes on cruise ships for 2023 to 1 hundred and thirty-one (131) such alleged crimes. There have been eighty-nine (89) sexual assaults reported by cruise traces in all of 2022. Based mostly on first quarter knowledge, the projected annual variety of sexual violence incidents for 2024 is 128 sexual assaults / rapes.
The Miami New Instances (Naomi Feinstein) reported on the cruise crime improve in 2023 earlier this yr. “A report from the U.S. Division of Transportation (DOT) states that 131 alleged incidents of sexual assault and rape have been reported on cruise ships final yr – a marked improve past the 2022 whole of 87 and the pre-pandemic whole of 101 in 2019.”
The variety of alleged sexual crimes reported on Carnival Cruise Line ships over the past quarter is identical quantity of such alleged crimes (9) over the past three months of 2023. Final yr Carnival Cruise Line had a complete of forty-five (45) sexual assaults / rapes. Contemplating it has round 115,000 passengers and crew members onboard its fleet on a mean day, this seems to be a per capita fee (per 100,000) of over 41. Carnival Cruise Line’s projected annualized sexual crimes for this yr, once more based mostly on the primary quarter numbers, seems to be 38 per 100,000, which is the same as or larger than twenty states within the U.S. (Royal Caribbean, alternatively, has nearer to 150,000 passengers and crew members on the identical variety of ships – 27 – at any given time).
Why Does Carnival Cruise Line Have The Highest Variety of Sexual Assaults and Bodily Assaults Resulting in Severe Bodily Damage?
There’s a direct correlation between extreme alcohol served on Carnival’s “enjoyable ships” and violence, on the whole, and sexual violence in opposition to ladies, specifically. Bartenders and waiters on Carnival cruise ships aren’t paid a wage by Carnival however rely upon ideas and gratuities. The bartenders are motivated to promote extreme quantities of alcohol with the intention to earn a residing. There isn’t a impartial police pressure on these more and more big cruise ships. Ladies and younger ladies are notably weak to sexual abuse in what is commonly a lawless surroundings.
This can be a cruise line which has made a acutely aware determination to not warn its friends of the hazard of violence and sexual violence throughout cruises on its “enjoyable ships.” Think about: Carnival Cruise Passenger Viciously Crushed and Lower within the Face With Bar Glass.
The fact of a “typical cruise,” on a Carnival ship from Miami to the Bahamas, for instance, entails cruising on a ship in probably the most harmful fleet at sea to one of the crucial harmful cruise vacation spot on the planet. Think about: Two Visitors From the Carnival Elation Report Being Drugged and Raped Throughout Tour within the Bahamas, cruise traces have an absolute responsibility to warn its passengers of crime risks not solely on its ships however within the ports of name the place they go to. That is true whether or not the cruise friends are on an tour promoted and offered by the cruise line or an independant tour unrelated to the cruise line. Carlisle v. Ulysses Line Ltd., S.A.,475 So. second 248, 251 (Fla. third DCA 1985), Chaparro v. Carnival, 693 F.3d 1333 (eleventh Cir. 2012).
“Struggle Ships” Not “Enjoyable Ships?”
You solely have to look at the quite a few YouTube movies of bar brawls on Carnival ships to appreciate that there’s a very good purpose why many individuals name Carnival ships the “struggle ships” slightly than the “enjoyable ships.” The DOT cruise crime knowledge bears this out.
Carnival Refuses to Acknowledge Its Excessive Crimes Charges
Carnival Cruise Line has steadfastly refused to acknowledge the excessive crime charges on its cruise ships. Its company communication division persistently tries to reduce the hazard to the touring public. Earlier this yr, Chris Chiames, chief communications officer for Carnival Cruise Line, tried to reduce Carnival’s quite a few crimes alleged on its ships, telling the Washington Publish that Carnival (which carried 5.5 million friends final yr) allegedly operated “a a lot greater fleet, extra friends and extra U.S. operations than any of our opponents.”
Carnival’s claims that its fleet is allegedly bigger and it carries extra friends is fake and deceptive. In truth, Carnival Cruise Line additionally has the identical variety of cruise ships as Royal Caribbean (every personal 27 ships). However Royal Caribbean has considerably bigger cruise ships with higher capability and carries extra passengers than Carnival at any given time. Royal Caribbean carries a most of over 100,000 passengers whereas Carnival Cruise Line has a most of round 85,000 passengers.
Carnival Cruise Line additionally has a practice of refusing to simply accept accountability and misrepresenting data which it finds to be detrimental to its status and enterprise pursuits. For instance, when Carnival Company pled responsible to the second revocation of its prison probation for widespread air pollution in January of 2022, the Division of Justice said that the cruise line has “a tradition that seeks to reduce or keep away from data that’s adverse, uncomfortable, or threatening to the corporate, together with to prime management.” That is an integral a part of the issue with the sexual and violent crimes alleged to be dedicated on cruise ships it operates. A recidivist company cruise felon like Carnival, with its tradition of canopy ups, lies and misinformation, will inevitably attempt to cover-up the crimes, blame the victims and misinform the general public.
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Picture credit score: Carnival Liberty leaving Miami – Jim Walker; Carnival Magic in Norfolk, VA- Jim Walker.