People in Brevard County may have recently come across this news on TV and newspapers. According to news reports, parents of a 3-year-old girl recently filed a $20 million lawsuit against Disney Cruise Line in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
The allegations and the reactions
Per the parents, their 3-year old daughter was sexually assaulted on board a cruise ship in January 2020 by another child whom they claim to be significantly older than their daughter. Allegedly, the 3-year-old was physically restrained and assaulted by the older child inside the cruise ship’s Oceaneer Club.
According to the lawsuit, the cruise line staff saw the incident when they entered the Oceaneer Club but failed to recognize it as an ongoing sexual assault. The parents allege that the assault occurred in plain view of some of the cruise line’s crew members. Per court filings, the lawsuit alleges five counts of negligence on part of Disney Cruise Line.
In an emailed statement, Disney said that the lawsuit was without merit. They pointed out that the incident was reported to the FBI and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office carried out an investigation but found that the allegations were unfounded. The FBI and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to immediately to the filing of the lawsuit.
Rights of victims of sexual assault
Victims of sexual assault often have to deal with mental trauma for many years to come. In fact, if the victim is a child, the impact can be way more serious. It is, therefore, important that the perpetrator or the enabler of a sexual assault is brought to justice. Understandably, this can be an arduous task for sexual assault victims and their families and thus, it may be a wise decision to seek professional guidance.