A federal court jury found that Carnival Cruise Line owes at least $10 million in damages to a woman who claimed a crew member sexually assaulted her.
The ruling held Carnival liable for damages and injuries caused by then-employee Freddy Anggara.
RELATED: How My Sexual Assault Has Affected My Life as a Traveler
Carnival has been ordered to pay $243,000 in past and future medical and psychological expenses to the victim. The cruise line will also have to pay $10 million in damages for physical and emotional distress.
“I understand it’s the largest verdict ever for a sexual assault victim against a major cruise line,” said Daniel Courtney. Washington Post. Courtney is the attorney for the victim, identified as Jane Doe in the lawsuit.
Carnival, however, denies the allegations in the lawsuit and plans to appeal the jury’s decision.
“The crew member admitted that he had a consensual sexual encounter with the guest, which is consistent with an investigation by the FBI that concluded the encounter was consensual,” Carnival said in a statement.
Details surrounding the case
The incident occurred on the Carnival Miracle ship on December 1, 2018. The victim was 21 years old at the time, and according to the lawsuit, it was her first cruise.
Anggaara allegedly waited for the plaintiff as she walked up a flight of stairs alone before locking her in a maintenance closet and raping her.
The victim then went to her room to tell a friend what had happened. The lawsuit says the plaintiff was “hyperventilating” and “having panic attacks” as she told her friend what happened.
While Anggara suggests the encounter was consensual, her lawyer, Courtney, said his claims are false.
“To say it was consensual is really damaging to him,” he said, adding that his client was “very drunk” and “shocked” during the alleged rape after hitting the back of his head in a fall .
The woman handed over a rape bag, and ship security and FBI agents continued to interview her. The incident falls under federal jurisdiction under general maritime law.
According to the lawsuit, Carnival is liable for sexual assault for failing to “monitor dark public areas” where women may be vulnerable to assault.
Carnival, which plans to appeal the decision, fired Anggara. The company has a zero tolerance policy for crew members fraternizing with guests.
