As we climbed the stairs I saw my Assailant once again. He was headed to give his statement. I said to him "I hope your happy, I hope it was all worth it". I was shaking but my fiance` took my hand and led me back to our cabin.
We got our belongings and headed for the doors to get off the ship. We were stopped by the head of security who asked us if we could stay on the ship just a little longer. My fiance` asked if we had to and he informed us "No" we did not "have to" but he was requesting us too. I agreed that I would and he walked away. My fiance` said he knew something was wrong, that he didn't trust them {Royal Caribbean's security} anymore and he was going to get the car. He asked me to go but I wanted to stay because the man had said a Police Officer was getting ready to board and I thought for sure he was going to arrest the man that had sexually assaulted me. My fiance` got off the ship to get the car and I stayed behind.
I saw the police officer board and go talk to the head of security on the ship. He approached me and I asked if he was there to arrest my assailant. He informed me he knew nothing about that but rather had been called to make a report about me and my fiance` harassing a passenger. I wanted to vomit, I knew right then and there I was trying to be intimidated into shutting up about what had happened to me on that cruise. I told the officer what had happened to me and what, I believed, they were trying to do to me. He apologized for what I had been through and left the ship without making a report on me.
To add insult to injury, I walked over to a female employee who had been with the security staff during my second statement, and informed her I had not received something I had paid for in the gift shop. It was to have been delivered to my cabin that morning but it had not been delivered. She informed me she would have to check to verify that I had actually paid for it. This was an $18.99 purchase, did she think after all I had been though I was, what, trying to get something free, something that was less than $20.00? After waiting, what seemed forever, she approached me and handed me the item and said that she had indeed seen on my bill where I had already purchased it. I took them item and walked to the head of security and asked him was did I need to do now about my assault.
He handed me a card for Royal Caribbean's Customer Service and informed me I could call them if I had any questions. I could see in his eyes, he wanted me out of his hair and off his ship. I left Majesty of the Seas, violated by a drunken passenger and then repeatedly by the very people that anyone would have expected to protect them. It was the day of my 40th birthday when I walked off that ship, exhausted emotionally and physically but I decided to give Royal Caribbean one more chance.
I contacted the customer service number I had been given. At first I thought I had found someone who actually cared about what happened to me, only to be informed he was not the person who handled these types of allegations but assured me the proper person would be getting in touch with me. At this time we were at our hotel and it was there that I learned the Attorney General was not taking my case. It was stated to me that it was not because my case lacked "Validity" but rather that the Attorney General doesn't usually handle crimes like what had happened to me, because it happened at sea. I was told that unless the man had "jumped off the ship, swam under it and attached a bomb" it was not an issue of national security.
I hung up the phone feeling totally helpless and just when I thought it couldn't get worse it did. The person that handles cases of my kind for Royal Caribbean called me. She was short with me as I told her my story and was extremely rude. She wanted to know what I expected them do to, can you believe that? I informed her I wanted the man's name and address that had sexually assaulted me, all statements given to Royal Caribbean's security staff, including my own, and any other evidence they had collected. The ultimate insult came then, when she informed me that she did not have to give me that information and if I wanted it I would have to subpoena it.
I hung up that phone angry, totally bewildered and violated yet again. That was a year and a half ago and I am still fighting for justice!
Cruise Ship Sexual Assault
Kimberley Dean Edwards - Sexually Assaulted
Majesty Of The Seas - October 20, 2004
