By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
POLICE yesterday disputed the claims of two American women who alleged in the international press that after they were sexually assaulted in Grand Bahama on Sunday, officers “treated them like criminals” and refused to give them rape kits.
Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson, passengers on a Carnival cruise ship, were on a beach at Pirates Cove in Grand Bahama when the alleged assault happened.
In interviews with a Kentucky news station and the Daily Mail, they claimed two men approached them when they arrived at the beach, offering drinks.
They believe the men worked at Pirates Cove and that their drinks were spiked.
Lex18, the Kentucky news station, reported that the women shared photos of preliminary drug tests that showed positive results for benzodiazepines, among other drugs.
“I remember waking up and getting pushed down,” Ms Dobson told the Daily Mail.
“I woke up in the resort bathroom, and there were people all around, and I just felt dirtiness on my legs, and I knew what had happened.
“They told us we had been throwing up, which is a good thing because the drugs would have killed us.”
Ms Shearer criticised the police investigation.
“We were forced to show where our rapes took place and to face the men whom raped us,” she said.
“There was an American FNP (family nurse practitioner) who tried to stay with us and was refused that right.
“We were told if we went to a Bahamian hospital, they wouldn’t help us return to the US.”
Police said in a statement last night that the women declined the assistance medical services offered them, signed a waiver and then left “for their cruise ship in a private vehicle.”
“Recognising 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 statement said.
Police said the force is collaborating closely with the FBI in the ongoing investigation and that Assistant Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles is “personally ensuring that the investigation is conducted with the utmost level of professionalism and care.”
The Daily Mail reported that both women, who are mothers, are spending $4,000 on anti-HIV medication as a precaution while waiting for an update from Bahamian police.
Police reported on Sunday that a 54-year-old man from Eight Mile Rock and a 40-year-old male from South Bahamia were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two women on February 4.
“We recognise the seriousness of such matters and handle them with the highest level of professionalism, privacy and sensitivity,” police said yesterday.
Comments
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Is tThe Tribune resorting to yellow journalism and causing Sir Ettiane Depuch’s body to roll in its grave? The police report says the two alleged victims REFUSED medical care and the ambulance service has signed waivers but yet the Tribune’s blaring headline is to the contrary! Is there is an ulterior motive? The police has now requested the FBI get involved and since the FBI is one of the US’s most respected agencies, hopefully the truth will come out and justice will be meted to either the alleged rape victims if their claims are true or to the alleged perpetrators of rape if the allegations can be proven to be false and a story concocted. And hopefully the sums awarded in the recent Donald Trump slander case will serve as precedent for awarding of damages. And the judgment should include future earnings. The victims have not strengthened their case in the least by taking to Social media in the middle of the investigation and if they are refusing to cooperate with local authorities, the accused should be released, pending further investigation. And the toxicology report that stated ( according to them) that several different drugs were found in their systems, in addition to the alcohol should be requested as evidence.
bahamianson 2 months, 2 weeks ago
It is Alleged that the police refused to give a rape kit. Stop your poor reporting. Stop speculating. Let the facts come and then make your judgement , either way. If the men are wrong , then they will have to pay for their actions. I gather that they will get morw time than if they raped a Bahamian, if they indeed do what is alleged. If the women are at fault, then they will be dealt with by the law.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
It is ‘alleged’ that the police did not give rape kits. BUT IT IS DOCUMENTED vis a vis SIGNED WAIVERS that tge two alleged victims REFUSED medical assistance. The police report states that they went back to their ship by private vehicle and they ( the police) tracked them down in an effort to get them to use the rape test kits. Run this one by me slowly. You on an island on a cruise for a day or so. You accuse two of the natives of raping you. You refuse medical assistance or to cooperate with the police. But you have someone drive you to your ship in their private vehicle. Not even a taxi or your car?
bahamianson 2 months, 2 weeks ago
All I am trying to say is, it is early in the investigation, let the dust settle , let it all come out.
realitycheck242 2 months, 2 weeks ago
It is being reported on the news in the home town state where the two women live, that they are Attention Seekers who are famous for travelling and creating false reports.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Well they have now taken down their Facebook page now that they know the FBI is getting involved, or it had been disabled by Facebook
TalRussell 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Even if they are travelling attention seekers, it's a separate thing. --- Considering there could be a boomerang in summoning an FBI investigation to be snooping into The Colony's [overall] crime goings on. --- Yes?
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The FBI is not snooping into the colony’s affairs. Two US citizens made some serious allegations against the Royal Bahamas Police Force and two citizens of The Bahamas. They have left the jurisdiction and so the local poli has requested tge assistance in tracking the accusers down and probably interrogating then to see if the need warrants them being brought back to The Bahamas to face the consequences of their actions. And in consideration of the serious damage their allegations have caused to the two individuals accused and to the reputation of the country and its tourism industry, jail time and a hefty fine is appropriate if their allegations are false.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Did the Tribune get a copy of the release from Pirates Cove and the WsterPark? In summary they are saying they have monitored the footage of their surveillance cameras and what is captured on the cameras contradicts what was alleged on social media and in the public. HOWEVER the two employees who were alleged suspects in the accusations of rape has been fired because of the ongoing police investigations and because they ( in the least) violated their terms of employment by fraternizing with guests.’ So basically they are saying there was no evidence of rape at the time and in the place the accusers claim the incident happened. But to be on the safe side we are firing ( not terminating the two employees in question. The is fair action , considering the sensitivity of the industry AND the apparent hunt for witches/rapists that is going on now
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
BTW Pirates Cove management also confirmed that it was them ( Pirates Cove) who gave the visitors a ride back to their ship after the guests/accusers REFUSED medical attention or to go to the hospital to be examined.
bahamianson 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Exactly, John. This is what I was trying to say, let it all come out, so an informed decision can be made. According to the early report, she went to the ship in a private vehicle, now it is known that Pirates cove drove her
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
They also said the drugging and rape also took place on Pirate Cove property. Pirates Cove says review of their camera footage, these incidents never took place anywhere on their property
TalRussell 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Conversations are more so welcomed [if used as a forum(s)] to cultivate dialogue against sexual abuse and attacts --- No diferent, regardless of of in an intimate relationship or marriage. --- Yes?
realitycheck242 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The two women now have a GoFund me account looking for $10,000 to fund their next trip. they want sympathy donations from the Bahamas experience. SMT
realfreethinker 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I hope y'all see the gofundme page for the "victims"
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
They cost two men their jobs and the backlash this country will suffer is in the millions. Rape is a bad enough experience. But making false accusations of rape is not only devastating to the accused, but it makes it more difficult for real victims of rape.. they took the Bahamas for a Banana Republic now as Hubert Ingraham use to say, ‘Da rabbit gat da gun nah, her, hee hee!
concernedcitizen 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I am skeptical of they,re story but we don,t know until the police and FBI finish the investigation .Does anyone who owns Pirates cove ?
hrysippus 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Not sure that anyone takes any Bahamas police report as Gospel truth. The Pirates Cove employees were terminated for breaching the terms of their employment? if this is correct then that is totally in order. What part of "You may not fraternize with our guests" do you not understand? As for the women, given the choice of getting back to the safety of their Cruise Ship , or having the Bahamian police cart them off to a foreign, to them, hospital, then their choice is understandable. Hopefully the truth of the matter will become clear over time, but I one still wondering which mafia man killed Harry Oakes and that been about 60 years gone past now. Also still waiting on the promised report of the Seabed damage, if any, done by the Cruise Ships anchored her during Covid lockdown.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Anything to create a distraction.. yes? And a hypocrite and doubting Thomas in our midst. The vast difference between fraternization and ‘drugging and raping!’ The fraternization clause can be a Catch 22 because they tell the slaves ( I mean workers) to be friendly with the guests, but with restrictions, like not going to guests rooms or meeting them off property . But they also tell us slaves ( workers)) to be friendly, accommodating and entertaining ( dance in the bar like the porch monkey they expect you to be! The accused men are 40 and 54 years oldrespectively. And maybe they did not see anything wrong with having a drink with guests in a public part of the property surrounded by other workers and guests. Not unlike they would do with similar guests sitting at the bar Anyone who discredit the police force and the management of one of the most successful resorts in Freeport and EMS, who have signed documents indicating the accusers refused service that could have been administered on site or in a waiting ambulance and would instead believe the word of persons who are now proven to by shysters and who by their own admission and alleged toxicology report had no less than FIVE drugs in their system, not including the ALCOHOL the admitted they voluntarily consumed, not only needs their head examined, but should be excumicated from The BaHAMAS. This confirms The Tribune’s headline was intentional band purpose driven with the intention of bringing harm to The Bahamas and their tourist product. So were the accusers from Lynchburg , Kentucky? Not Lynchburg, Tennessee, that’s where they make Jack Daniels! Let’s wait and see what amends The Tribune makes tomorrow ( Friday) in attempts to discolor its now obvious ‘ yellow journalism!’
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
‘ They discovered that every time a high-tonnage ship anchors, it can excavate the seafloor up to 80cm, displacing enough sediment to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Comparison data shows that the damage remains for at least four years. Scaled-up globally, this equates to at least 6,000km2 of impacted seabed’
jamaicaproud 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I read this and this does not add up at all at all. $ape between people who don't know each other usually has a pattern in other words if true these men would have done it over and over. Are there any such reports? Then rape victims usually try to keep identity secret, why this big social media hullabaloo. Their statements clearly contradict the PoPo who I am pretty sure have documentation to back their version. They will be disgraced.
Management added that their review of the surveillance videos conflict with the allegations and that they "strongly encourage all concerned parties to make sure all facts are considered before reaching a conclusion."
M0J0 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Lol, nothing new. I worked in the hotel years ago, they always come down get drunk and beg Bahamian men for the man dingo. They will always try to get a come up. Use the head on the shoulder and not between your legs.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
Not only that, some come with the intention of ‘winning’ of the resort they stay at or their vendors, by making false claims and accusations. Many of the larger resorts have a full legal department to deal with these claims.
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
If you want to create a great mystery ( mostly about murder) take The Tribunes headlines over the past few months and line them up… everything is murder, murder, murder, and continues on the next two pages about crime. What is balance reporting? Even today they front page the story of the two con artists, victims of alleged rape, but only silently mentions that the management of Pirates Cove , where the incidents are alleged to happened says review of their security tapes confirm that no such incidents happened on their property and the tapes are being made available to the relevant authorities. Our media is under drugs ay ?
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
I typed ‘our media is under seige Ay’ I didn’t type drugs, but it may also be appropriate… yes?
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
If SirvLynden Pindling or Hubert Ingraham was still prime ministers, the Tribune’s editor would be asked to resign for his anti—Bahamian smear campaign. And if he/she didn’t have permanent status they would be asked to leave the country! Forthwith
John 2 months, 2 weeks ago
The Bible says that the only way HIS people can enjoy the richest he has stored for them is to remove their oppressors off the earth! They transposed this earth to say that Gid will destroy the entire earth. But it is the wicked and the oppressors and those who taught others how to shed blood who will God destroy… watch what will happen to the Papacy in 2024
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