By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
TWO American women who allege they were sexually assaulted in Grand Bahama on Sunday have started a GoFundMe page to raise $10,000 although the company where the alleged incident took place said video evidence contradicts some of their claims.
Pirates Cove did not elaborate, but said in a statement: “Upon further review of the surveillance videos, the allegations made on-site and in subsequent social media posts and news stories conflict with what the time-stamped surveillance videos contain. As such, the lengthy videos of all concerned have been handed over to the local police and will be shared with our industry partners as needed.
Police on Wednesday also disputed some of the women’s claims, denying that they were denied rape kits. Police said the women, Amber Shearer and Dongayla Dobson, refused medical help.
“These girls were just trying to enjoy a well deserved girls weekend which turned into a nightmare, leaving them with psychological trauma,” the GoFundMe page for the women said. “To add to that is the financial strain of missing work and expensive meds and counselling.”
Carnival Cruise Lines released a statement yesterday on the alleged incident.
“Our onboard Care Team provided support for the two guests as they sailed back to Jacksonville,” Carnival said. “Bahamian police are investigating the matter, and Carnival is providing our full cooperation.”
A representative added that the shipboard team routinely share guidance on keeping safe ashore.
Comments
birdiestrachan 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The truth will come to light
John 2 months, 3 weeks ago
They have now taken down their Facebook page as tge plot to extort seems to be exploding in their faces. Hopefully the FBI will soon track them down and jJustice will be served. Especially since these two Kentucky girls reportedly have a reputation for milking tge public for funds.
rosiepi 2 months, 3 weeks ago
They took their FB pages down because they were being harassed. There is no evidence these women are as you have repeatedly claimed “attention seekers”
They were asked to identify where they were assaulted when given the test results still under the influence of drugs, so their identification I believe would be hazy. However their attackers being employees at Pirates Cove would likely know where the cameras were located-correct?? If I as a woman who’d been treated with disdain by police officers I wouldn’t let them submit me to a rape kit either, I ‘d go back to the ship’s MO, which they did. And they even refused to be in the car with said officers…? It rather sounds like these officers got back to their station, reported the affair and were sent back to deliver rape kits given the recent US warning.
When this was reported here, there was no evidence the newspaper saw the reports that the police said refuted their claims.. And the RBPF working “with the FBI” in no way implies they reached out to them but likely the other way round.
This looks bad and these comments here certainly give credence to the women’s accusations of the police-indeed the male pop of the Bahamas!
John 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Yea we understand. Obviously you didn’t see the videos where the girls were embracing each other in the sea and saying what a wonderful time they were having in the BaHAMAS. They admitted they had to much to drink and they were intoxicated. And maybe you didn’t see the video where they were dancing in the counter too if the bar at one point on their hands and knees banging on the counter and being very physical with each other. And it was tge women who refused to cooperate with police after they made their initial complaint. They refused to give written statements to the police and they refused to go in the ambulance for further examination. It was Pirates Cove management who took them to the shop . The police followed and gave the ships medic rape test kits and medical report forms which the women again refused to utilize. And it was a report coming from Bahamian police that after the women left The BaHAMAS after making allegations of rape and failing to cooperate with police and medical officials, then taking to social media to expand their claims of rape and allegations against, Bahamian police asked the FBI to get involved.
John 2 months, 3 weeks ago
The women refused the rape kits because they knew no such rape took place. And if they had scratches and bruises on their bodies, their dance routine on the bar top in front of all the other guests confirmed how they got them. And if they claim they were in a relationship with each other for over 20 years, why did they engage the companionship of the male workers anyways?
rosiepi 2 months, 2 weeks ago
You think the RBPF invited the FBI to investigate this? And invariably expose their own behavior in this matter? Please!
What’s wrong with their pictures in the Bahamas, or of them embracing each other? They’re both young single Mothers who’ve apparently been friends ‘forever’ having what they though was a dream vacation.
You have no knowledge of them to question their accusations, you don’t know whether they were examined onboard ship, yet you’re blaming them and making assumptions which is very misogynistic.
They asked for drug tests which sounds like the correct thing to do, in fact if the officers did act like inappropriately as the women said, which your views/attitude mirror why would they have any faith in the police doing their job? I wouldn’t be interested in interacting with this pair described thusly either.
Engineer 2 months, 3 weeks ago
Gofundme?? Really!! These are opportunists trying to make money!
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