Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson took their first kid-free vacation on a Carnival cruise that stopped off at a Grand Bahama beach. What they didn't know is that the US government had issued a warning a week ago about visiting the Caribbean nation, or that they might become targets at a seemingly safe resort.
Before we get into it, let me issue a content warning.
First, the interview that Chris Cuomo had with the women, then the details:
Amber and Dongayla were at a resort in Freeport when a staffer offered them a 2-for-1 drink deal. They took a picture with their drinks, finished them, then were quickly overwhelmed in minutes by a cocktail of benzodiazepines and other drugs.
Without realizing what had happened to them, the women went to go look for shells on the beach. Another staffer pointed them to a particular area, but upon reaching it, they both fell unconscious.
Amber says she woke up in the middle of the sexual assault.
Two men were quickly arrested by police, a 40-year-old of South Bahamia and a 54-year-old of Eight Mile Rock, both of whom had started working at the resort only a week prior. The women criticized the police for not taking a proper rape kit.
Both women had to be treated with a $4,000 HIV preventative, in addition other treatments and counseling. They say Carnival never told them about the travel warning to the Bahamas.
Less than a week ago, the government of the Bahamas downplayed the US government's warning.
Here is what the State Department said on January 26:
The Department of State rates the criminal threat level in New Providence Island (includes Nassau and Paradise Island) as critical. The vast majority of crime occurs on New Providence (Nassau) and Grand Bahama (Freeport) Islands. Criminal activity on the outlying Family Islands does occur, but to a much lesser degree than on New Providence or Grand Bahama. In Nassau, exercise caution in the 'Over the Hill' area (south of Shirley Street). Violent crime such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults occur, but generally not in tourist areas.
Those reading this should be warned that the State Department has also put Jamaica on the travel warning list after 65 murders there last month.
Learn how to protect yourselves. As these women advised, in the times we live in, "two is not a group."
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