On January 25, 2010 at 9:33 am I was contacted by a man who identified himself as the boyfriend of a sexual assault victim. The victim, he said, had just disembarked Carnival Cruise Line's cruise ship Inspiration and she had been sexually assaulted on the ship the night before. The identity of both the informant boyfriend and the victim are being protected.
This victim is so traumatized and embarrassed by the events she alleges took place aboard this ship, it is difficult for her to discuss the case. Based on the information provided to me, I believe the incident really took place and the boyfriend has done his best to accurately outline the details presented to him, the best he could. I have advised the crime be reported to the police in Tampa, Florida, the homeport of the ship, to the FBI and to Carnival Corp.
Based on the information I have received, there is every reason to believe the victim's attacker was a crew member working aboard Inspiration, that he is still aboard, and that he still poses a threat to other women. It is for that very reason, I have strongly urged the boyfriend to convey to the victim, she NEEDS to report this crime. Other than that advice, all I can do is tell you the story, hoping to prevent more crimes by this psycho aboard Carnival Inspiration.
This attack is alleged to have taken place aboard the Carnival Cruise Line's Inspiration on the January 21, 2010 sailing. Inspiration left the Port of Tampa, Florida around 0800 hours on Thursday, January 21, 2010 for a Mexican cruise.
The cruise ship was to call at only one port, Cozumel, Mexico before returning back to Tampa on Monday, January 25, 2010. The ship is to embark later January 25 around 1600 hours for a five-night cruise, calling at Georgetown on Grand Cayman, then onto Cozumel, Mexico before returning again to Tampa, Florida on Saturday, January 30. At this point, the ship is still at sea.
These are the details, to the best of my knowledge.
The victim from Tennessee, who I will refer to as CT, was sailing with three friends. CT had taken the cruise while her boyfriend was in Florida for a series of business meetings. The boyfriend, who I will refer to as LK was able to arrive at the dock when CT and her friends returned to Tampa. That was about 0800 hours on Monday morning.
CT is described as 46-years-old and a petite 5'3" tall weighing about 112 lbs. When she arrived at the dock, LK said CT was upset and he noticed bruising to her neck. When he pressed her on the subject, the story of a sexual attack unfolded.
CT told her boyfriend the cruise had been great, the four women had been having a great time and everything was fine until the last night of the cruise. The women were in the Monte Carlo Casino on Deck 9, the Promenade Deck. About 10pm, they decided to leave the casino. CT was behind her friends as they left.
Sexual Assault
Cruise Ship Passenger Attacked At Knifepoint
Carnival Inspiration - January 24, 2010
The women are said to have been heading to the stairs located near the forward elevators, seen to the left of the Grand Atrium in the deck plan illustration above, on their way down to Deck M (Deck 5 Main), four decks below where their cabin was located. CT walked from the casino, through the Sushi Bar area, past the Photo Gallery, as she made her way to the forward stairs.
The elevators and stairs are just to the left of the scene shown in the photograph below.
CT says that as she approached the stairs, her friends were already down the stairs, having been not more than "40-50 paces ahead" of her as they made their way towards the stairs. She heard the elevator open behind her. Then, somebody put their hands around her neck from behind. At that point, she thought it was one of her friends teasing her.
She said the man, had one hand around her throat, and in the other hand he was holding a "kitchen type paring knife", which he had pressed to her throat.
CT described that man as being darker skinned than her, thin build, mid 30s, black hair, no jewelry, was wearing a white long sleeve shirt with dark pants and had a foreign accent as he spoke to her.
He smelled of a scent that was similar to a Musk cologne, body sweat and alcohol. She had the distinct impression he was a crew member, his clothing matching what the waiters had worn, but without a jacket.
CT told LK that the man forced her into the stairs, down a few steps to a landing and shoved her face into the corner. Then he forced her to her knees, his pant zipper fly open, his penis exposed, he turned her and shoved his genitals onto her face.
LK continues on to say, "Apparently someone had started up the stairway from the bottom and only saw the attacker's back as he exited up the stairs and around the corner. She indicated it was a few minutes after 10 pm est and there were plenty of people around and she just couldn't believe this could be happening HERE in such an open/public place.
After the attacker exited, the passenger that was coming up the stairs stopped to she if she needed assistance and her friends who were only one flight of steps below heard the commotion and returned to her location and assisted her back to her room.
Several employees walked by her and her friends while they were in the stairway as she was crying and they simply ignored the situation."
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