Violence on HAL Ships

With only the benefit of sketchy news' reports, I've learned that there has been a rape (or attempted rape) on one of Holland America's ships. As a senior citizen, who has cruised with Holland America Line several times, I really haven't given much consideration to personal safety. In the future, I need to appreciate that bad things can happen in almost any type of environment. Can anyone direct me to a web site that summarizes the safety precautions that seniors need to take while travelling in new and unfamiliar surroundings?

But that wasn't a senior citizen who was attached on the Nieuw Amsterdam. I imagine that a senior would have to use the same safety precautions as any non-senior traveling, and traveling can include the seamier parts of American cities, as well. If you look at the threads on Cruise Critic's ports of call for such cities as Barcelona (sorry, Barcelona, because I really do love you!), you will find suggestions for taking precautions. And I can add to it, having had my debit card cloned in Barcelona: Use an ATM that is not across the street from a major tourist attraction. Or, at least, that is my theory. My card got cloned across the street from the La Sagrada Familia.

OP, as you said, reports at this point are very sketchy. We don't know much about it, except it was a "clothing optional" cruise. Maybe lots more younger set, drinking, drugs, full time HAL employee, person that the cruise arrangers brought on board, circumstances (did it start in the cabin as a fliratious rendevouz, then turn disastrous?) Just too many questions at this point. Not saying there is a reason for it, but in my 7 limited cruises, I've never experienced ANYTHING on-board any ship to make me fear for my personal safety (other than Mother Nature causing the seas to be exceptionally rough).

If you think of the items in the news (man/woman overboard, somebody murdered, somebody raped, etc.) I think you would find the statistics are very low for the number of cruisers out there on the different ships. They are actually a small floating city.

I don't go wandering the streets alone at 3 am at home, so I don't wander the ship at 3 am. I don't drink to excess at home, so I don't drink to excess on the ship. I don't do drugs at home, so I don't do drugs when I travel. I try to watch my surroundings at home and if something doesn't feel right, I leave the area and I would do the same on the ship.

I don't think you need any other special precautions because you are a Senior. JMHO!

A lot of senior's websites tend to focus only on health issues and travelling. Here is a link to a comprehensive listing of some of the things that we all need to consider when travelling: http://seniortravel.about.com/od/travelsafety/

The reports are no longer "sketchy" as they are all over the major Television news networks and also on several major news web sites. The Indonesian crewman has confessed that he tried to kill the 31 year old female passenger because he claims she insulted him at an earlier time when he delivered room service breakfast to her cabin. He was able to gain entrance to her cabin by using his master key and at one point tried to throw the woman overboard from her balcony. She fought back with a corkscrew. Fox News and other news sources also report that the woman was raped, but this is not on some of the other reports. The woman eventually broke free from the man and ran out into the hall where she was helped by other passengers.

The alleged attacker has been identified as 28 year old Ketut Puyayasa who is an Indonesian room service attendant who HAL claims has a clean criminal history record.

Hank

OP, as you said, reports at this point are very sketchy. We don't know much about it, except it was a "clothing optional" cruise. Maybe lots more younger set, drinking, drugs, full time HAL employee, person that the cruise arrangers brought on board, circumstances (did it start in the cabin as a fliratious rendevouz, then turn disastrous?) Just too many questions at this point. Not saying there is a reason for it, but in my 7 limited cruises, I've never experienced ANYTHING on-board any ship to make me fear for my personal safety (other than Mother Nature causing the seas to be exceptionally rough).

 

If you think of the items in the news (man/woman overboard, somebody murdered, somebody raped, etc.) I think you would find the statistics are very low for the number of cruisers out there on the different ships. They are actually a small floating city.

 

I don't go wandering the streets alone at 3 am at home, so I don't wander the ship at 3 am. I don't drink to excess at home, so I don't drink to excess on the ship. I don't do drugs at home, so I don't do drugs when I travel. I try to watch my surroundings at home and if something doesn't feel right, I leave the area and I would do the same on the ship.

 

I don't think you need any other special precautions because you are a Senior. JMHO!

You have got to be kidding me. Have you read any of the news reports that directly quite from theFBI reports? There is nothing sketchy about this incident. To even insinuate that this viscous attack is the fault of the victim is beyond my comprehension. The lack of compassion for this victim is a sad statement on life.

You have got to be kidding me. Have you read any of the news reports that directly quite from theFBI reports? There is nothing sketchy about this incident. To even insinuate that this viscous attack is the fault of the victim is beyond my comprehension. The lack of compassion for this victim is a sad statement on life.

I live in Southern California and have not heard ONE WORD about this case on the news, on the Internet, etc.

SORRY I'm not up to date. I certainly was not casting aspersions on the victim nor saying it was her fault. I was merely stating we didn't know the whole story, but it appears I was in error, and the FBI and some folks did know the whole story.

I applaud anybody who has an interest in personal safety - senior or not.

Here are some personal actions you can take:

* Enroll in self defense classes and practice self defense regularly

* Have a whistle or something else making noise that can signal you are in trouble

* Make sure you don't drink or do drugs to excess so that you are unaware of your surroundings or dangerous situations

* Make sure your cabin and balcony are lightened when you leave and ask your cabin steward to keep those on. It's not energy sensitive or very green, but a lit area is safer.

* Use a deadbolt and/or place something behind the door when you are sleeping

* Leave all your valuables in the safe

* Don't wear expensive accessories

Overall, we can do whatever we can not to become an attractive target, but the true person in control of whether we are a victim or not is only the attacker. He or she chooses to attack us. Luckily for us, violence on cruise ships is rare, so enjoy your cruising and just be as mindful as you can be.

For those that are interested - CNN.com has the story.

I still feel extremely safe on cruises and am looking forward to our future cruise.

Have a nice day everyone.

First of all the U.S. congress passed a law that all assaults (and some other crimes) must be reported to the FBI by any cruise line which visits the U.S.

The recent assault is not an isolated case..

From January of 2010 to Sept 30 of 2013 there have been 156 cases of sexual assault reported to the FBI by Cruise lines.. That's 44 cases per year!

Only 69 of these assault cases have been closed.. Of those 39 were committed by Psgrs, 22 by Crew & 2 others..

Some of these assaults were never prosecuted..

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/broward/fl-holland-america-cruise-rape-overboard-20140218,0,4021783.story?page=2

My children & grandchildren have gone on cruises & I sent this article to them, not to scare them but only to caution them about taking precautions..

I'm appalled & have been chastised by Parents on CC who think that leaving their children on board while they are out on tours is OK as long as they are in club HAL.. Some of them permit their children/teens to be out & about or in their cabins alone sans chaperones..:(

Betty

Here is the articles out:

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cruise-ship-worker-allegedly-raped-passenger/

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/02/19/Cruise-ship-worker-confesses-to-raping-attacking-passenger/UPI-52661392816400/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/cruise-worker-raped-throw-woman-overboard-fbi-article-1.1619217

AKK

Only 69 of these assault cases have been closed.. Of those 39 were committed by Psgrs, 22 by Crew & 2 others..

 

Some of these assaults were never prosecuted..

You really can't determine anything by those numbers. Sex Assault can be a very difficult allegation to investigate from the start when it's only a he said/she said. Between that, allegations that appear to be false, and cases that are determined to not actually be sex assault, those numbers can be easily misinterpreted. Establishing Probable Cause for a prosecution is not easy in sex cases because they are rarely as heinous and clear as this most recent case on HAL.

Here is the articles out:

 

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cruise-ship-worker-allegedly-raped-passenger/

 

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2014/02/19/Cruise-ship-worker-confesses-to-raping-attacking-passenger/UPI-52661392816400/

 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/cruise-worker-raped-throw-woman-overboard-fbi-article-1.1619217

 

AKK

Thank you for the links. Two of those stories were this morning and 1 was 10:30 last night. Pardon my ignorance at 6:30 am this morning on the West Coast.

OP, you can buy door wedges to put under the door when you're in your room. That way, no-one can open your door until you remove it.

It may give you a little bit of comfort:)

I live in Southern California and have not heard ONE WORD about this case on the news, on the Internet, etc.

 

SORRY I'm not up to date. I certainly was not casting aspersions on the victim nor saying it was her fault. I was merely stating we didn't know the whole story, but it appears I was in error, and the FBI and some folks did know the whole story.

See this article in yesterday's (2/18/14) LA Times:

Cruise worker admits raping, beating ship passenger, investigators say

http://www.seatrade-insider.com/news/news-headlines/hal-expresses-shock-over-crewmans-brutal-passenger-assault.html

This has already been reported in Australia, the U.K., etc. Seatrade-Insider's report is a little different than the other news organizations.

This is a very rare incident on a HAL ship -- in all the years we have sailed on HAL I have never heard of anything like this happening.

I feel safe on HAL ships. And we are seniors.

Using the simple deadbolt available on all HAL staterooms would have prevented this. We never are in the cabin without deadbolting it…mostly because the "housekeeping" knock and the quick entrance can often surprise folks who aren't ready for housekeeping! ;-)

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Cruise Passenger Assaulted on Holland America Cruise Ship