Two Seventeen-Year-Old Females Raped Aboard Cruise Ship

This case involves two seventeen-year-old female students who were raped by crew members on board a cruise ship destined for the Caribbean. The two girls had recently graduated from high school and were traveling together on a ten-day cruise. Three nights after departing the American seaport, both girls were partying at a nightclub aboard the cruise ship. Access to the club requires patrons to be at least twenty-one-years-old, although their ages were never verified upon entry. Crew members working in the night club provided alcoholic beverages to the girls and never checked for identification. Later that night, the girls were lured into a vacant suite by a group of three crew members, where they were repeatedly raped. A toxicologist ran toxicology tests for both girls that revealed traces of Rohypnol, commonly referred to as the “date rape drug.” The two girls brought suit and an expert was requested to determine the liability of the cruise ship company.

Question(s) For Expert Witness

1. How is the cruise ship company liable for the actions of their employees in this circumstance?

Expert Witness Response E-001255

There are numerous instances in which the cruise ship company failed to follow standard legal procedures. There should have been some level of security monitoring the entrance of the night club, checking for proper identification and therefore not allowing underage girls to access the club. Additionally, the bar tender should have provided an additional level of accountability by double checking the ages of younger customers requesting alcoholic beverages. The traces of Rohypnol found in both female's toxicology reports place further suspicion upon the crew members serving the drinks. I have worked for a cruise ship company for over seventeen years and have experience hiring crew members in a wide range of capacities.