A South Carolina woman has filed a lawsuit against Carnival Corp alleging that a crew member sexually assaulted her on a cruiseship.
The woman was a passenger on the 2,760-berth Carnival Victory (built 2000) in March when the assault took place, according to a complaint filed with the US federal court in Miami.
She alleges that she identified the assailant from a photo but the cruiseship owner has refused to identify the crewman.
"Instances of rapes and/or sexual assaults occur aboard [the] defendant’s vessels at an alarming rate," said the woman's lawyers, led by Jason Margulies at Lipcon, Margulies, Alsina & Winkleman.
"Yet [the] defendant fails to take adequate steps or provide adequate security and/or training and/or supervision to prevent such rapes and/or sexual assaults, and fails to warn its passengers of the growing epidemic of rape and sexual assault at sea."
Miami-based Carnival did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations.
The lawsuit is pursuing claims of vicarious liability and negligence.
The Panamanian-flag Carnival Liberty is operated by Carnival's flagship Carnival Cruise Line.
