Sexual assault and rape are more common than most cruise ship travelers would imagine and the stories of the victims are often difficult to imagine.
When booking a cruise vacation, women and families with younger children should consider the potential hazards that cruise ships present.
Just performing a quick Google Search can be an eye-opener for those worried about their safety or the safety of their children.
A recent sexual assault lawsuit has resulted in a conviction of a man who was accused of taking advantage of a women who was drunk. The incident took place in 2015.
Anthony Paul De La Torriente, 30, was found guilty of one count of sexual abuse and one count of abusive sexual contact. While traveling with a work colleague, De La Torriente assaulted the women while she was in his care after she became intoxicated.
According to a Newsweek report,
“At trial, prosecutors showed evidence that the victim’s coworkers were concerned after she became intoxicated during a daytime trip to Ensenada. After returning to the ship, De La Torriente volunteered to remain with the woman in her cabin while the rest of the group went to get food.
But when they returned, the cabin door was double-locked, the federal press release explained. Though De La Torriente “eventually unlocked the door” and allowed his colleagues inside, the woman said he had sexually assaulted her.
After the attack, the victim contacted the medical and security staff on the cruise ship to make a sexual assault complaint. DNA evidence was then collected from De La Torriente and the victim.”
The case was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California after an initial investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). De La Torriente will be sentenced in June and could face a maximum sentence of life in Federal Prison.