Warning: This article contains discussion of rape which some readers may find distressing.
A Bahamas beach resort has responded to allegations two women were sexually assaulted by two of its workers.
Two moms - Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson - from Kentucky took to social media after returning from a cruise vacation to warn other tourists, claiming they'd been sexually assaulted on a beach in the Bahamas by two resort workers.
The pair claim they took a taxi to a local resort in Freeport and got two-for-one cocktails.
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However, 'less than a few [sips] into the second drink,' Shearer said to NewsNation they both realised 'something was terribly wrong,' and felt a lot more intoxicated than they expected to be - with videos they'd sent to loved ones back home seeming to indicate this too.
The moms say they went off to find some seashells to bring home for their kids and a male resort staffer offered to show them the best spots, but Shearer says the next thing she remembers is waking up to find herself being assaulted by a uniformed member of staff.
Both Shearer and Dobson reported their attacks to the resort and Bahamian authorities, and two men have since been arrested in connection to the assault.
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However, the moms allege that despite undergoing toxicology tests - which showed multiple drugs but little alcohol in their systems- they weren't given proper rape test kits from the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
The pair have also spoken out about taking legal action against the resort and the men responsible, as well as criticising Carnival Cruise for allegedly not warning them about the Level 2 US State Department travel advisory in place for the country, which urges tourists to 'exercise increased caution' as a result of increased violent crime such as sexual assault and armed robberies.
Pirate's Cove - the beach resort the women say they were at before the assault occurred - has since reviewed its surveillance videos after the women's allegations came to light.
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They claimed to The Daily Mail that the women's accounts of events 'made onsite and in subsequent social media posts and news stories, conflict with what the time-stamped surveillance videos contain'.
The statement adds: "While there is an active police investigation into these serious allegations, we have terminated the employment of the two accused, as the behavior seen on tape by management indicates that at a minimum, they violated our zero-tolerance policy."
Carnival Cruise has also addressed the incident, claiming the women weren't part of their paid excursions to the beach they offer and ventured ashore in Freeport in their own 'independent shore excursion'.
In a statement to UNILAD, they said: "Two guests on Carnival Elation reported to Bahamian police that they were sexually assaulted at a local beach.
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"Our onboard Care Team provided support for the two guests as they sailed back to Jacksonville. Bahamian police are investigating the matter and Carnival is providing our full cooperation.”
The Royal Bahamas Police force also stated: "We recognize the seriousness of such matters and handle them with the highest level of professionalism, privacy and sensitivity...
"Emergency Medical Services offered medical assistance to the victims, which they declined, signing a waiver and then leaving for their cruise ship in a private vehicle.
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"Recognizing the gravity of the incident, our officers boarded the cruise ship, providing a sexual assault kit and hospital form to the ship’s medical doctor and obtained signed statements from the victims.
"The RBPF is collaborating closely with the FBI in this ongoing investigation. Woman Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ms. Shanta Knowles, who oversees Grand Bahama, is personally ensuring that the investigation is conducted with the utmost level of professionalism and care."
Police say the investigation remains ongoing.
A spokesperson for Pirates Cove Zipline and Water Park management told UNILAD: "At Pirates Cove, the safety of our guests and team members is always paramount. We regret that our guests experienced this incident, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to aid police in the collection of evidence in response to these allegations, including providing Police access to video from the sixteen cameras around the beach facility where the assault of the two guests allegedly occurred. Accusations of any kind are always thoroughly investigated by Pirates Cove management and, when warranted, the organization calls in local authorities.
"When the alleged incident was reported to staff, Pirates Cove employees and management took swift action to assist the women and ensure their safety. Local authorities and paramedics were called to the scene and Pirates Cove management assisted in identifying and locating the two alleged suspects. In addition, after the police concluded their initial investigation, we assisted in transporting the women back to their cruise ship after they refused transportation to the hospital.
"Upon further review of the surveillance videos, the allegations made onsite, and in subsequent social media posts and news stories, conflict with what the time-stamped surveillance videos contain. As such, the lengthy videos of all concerned have been handed over to the local police and will be shared with our industry partners as needed.
"We take great pride in ensuring our guests have a safe and enjoyable experience when visiting Pirates Cove. In addition to having safety personnel and CCTV surveillance throughout the park, employees and vendors of Pirates Cove must follow strict guidelines when interacting with guests. We have a zero-tolerance policy for fraternizing with guests or behaving in a manner that is unsafe.
"While there is an active police investigation into these serious allegations, we have terminated the employment of the two accused, as the behavior seen on tape by management indicates that at a minimum, they violated our zero-tolerance policy.
"We strongly encourage all concerned parties to make sure all facts are considered before reaching a conclusion. Having regard for the code of conduct expected of all staff at Pirates Cove and the thousands of guests who have visited our facility since 2016, we are very concerned about the allegations made and will continue to cooperate with authorities to faithfully resolve the issue."
UNILAD has contacted the Royal Bahamas Police and lawyer Nicholas Gerson for further comment.
If you've been affected by any of the issues in this article, you can contact The National Sexual Assault Hotline on 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7. Or you can chat online via online.rainn.org
Topics: Mental Health, Travel, US News, World News, Police
Poppy Bilderbeck