JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A sexual assault survivor is demanding cruise lines do more to protect their customers as new federal data shows sexual assaults rose on cruise ships in 2023.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation reported more than 100 sex crimes on ships embarking and disembarking in the U.S.
In February 2006, Laurie Dishman said her life changed forever after booking a cruise from California to Mexico with her best friend Michelle.
“We had boarded the ship and didn’t know what awaited us, we just thought we were going to have a good time,” Dishman said.
The good time didn’t last past the second night.
That’s when Laurie said a security guard on the cruise raped her inside of her cabin.
“I had her a knock at the door and when I went to open the door thinking it was Michelle, there was no keyhole, there was no latch no way to check who it is. As I open the door, I can still see the light now, he forced his way into the room on top of me holding me down by my throat strangling me,” Dishman said.
In 2023, 131 sex crimes were reported to the FBI — including 52 cases of sexual assault and 79 rapes, based on data from the Department of Transportation.
That’s 87 more sexual assault reports since 2022 and 101 more since 2019.
Dishman joined the International Cruise Victim’s Association, a nonprofit advocacy group, to challenge cruise lines to do more to protect their customers.
“What I would like to see with this cruise industry is to show that you care about people first of all and you’re not just a number,” Dishman said.
Adam Finkle is one of the attorneys who works for the International Crime Victim’s Association who’s also calling for change.
“Nobody wants to go on vacation and come back with trauma. They need to prepare for what they know and foresee what is going to happen. We’re not talking about one sexual assault that happened every now and then. Were talking about sexual assaults that are reported at such a high clip, cruise lines know this is an increasing problem,” Finkle said.