In a disturbing incident, two Kentucky women are speaking out after they say they were drugged and raped while in a port of call in The Bahamas.
The victims say the sexual assault happened during a port stop in Freeport when they visited a beach resort. Toxicology results reportedly returned signs of multiple drugs in their system.
According to the women and news reports, they were visiting Freeport on Grand Bahama during a Carnival cruise from Jacksonville. During the day in port, the pair grabbed a taxi to take them to a nearby resort to enjoy the beach.
There, the pair say they took advantage of a two-for-one drink special to enjoy cocktails while on vacation.
They said they “felt the drinks were really strong” but despite having a low tolerance for alcohol, the pair say they could sense something else was wrong after one beverage.
“We have videos that we had taken on our phones 15 minutes between when we first got the drink and 15 minutes later, and our friends and our family are messaging us, concerned about us [saying] ‘are you sure that you only had one drink?’” the pair shared with NewsNation’s Chris Cuomo.
You can see the full recount of their ordeal in the video below:
The same week the U.S. put out a travel warning on the Bahamas, 2 American women thought they were enjoying a drink on the beach as their Carnival cruise ship was docked, but instead, Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson say staff members at a resort drugged and raped them…then… pic.twitter.com/LxOUM0AqBJ
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) February 8, 2024
After having the drinks, the women say they decided to get out of the water and look for seashells on the beach. A male staff member at the resort said he knew where to find more. Soon, one woman said she came to with this man raping her.
The women then say that toxicology and alcohol tests done back on the ship show they had little to no alcohol in their system but were positive for cocaine, methamphetamine, opiates, and benzodiazepines.
According to Lex18.com, a local news station in Kentucky where the women live, the Royal Bahamas Police have arrested two men in connection with the crime. However, the women say that Bahamian police were unhelpful with their case, including not giving them rape kits that they specifically requested.
While the two passengers are obviously upset with the entire ordeal, they also claim that Carnival did not warn them of the dangers of visiting The Bahamas. A recent Level 2 Travel Advisory from the U.S. State Department urges travelers to “exercise increased caution in The Bahamas due to crime.”
The notice says nothing specifically about potential druggings, it does say that “violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults, occur in both tourist and non-tourist areas.”
The two cruise passengers say they knew nothing of this advisory until hours after the incident.
As for other passengers, the victims say they want them to be aware of the incident. They suggest traveling only on excursions provided directly through the cruise line, traveling in a group, and not buying drinks unless they come in a sealed container.
You can read more at the links below:
- Kentucky women warn others after sexual assault during trip to the Bahamas (Lex18.com)
- 2 Kentucky moms say they were drugged, raped by Bahamas resort staffers (NYPost.com)
- State Department Travel Advisory for The Bahamas
The post Two Women Allege Drugging and Rape During Bahamas Port Stop first appeared on Cruzely.com.
Source: Cruzely.com