US Embassy: Safety of our citizens number-one priority

The United States Embassy, through its Public Affairs Department, yesterday advised US citizens to contact the nearest consulate or the Office of Overseas Citizens Services should they encounter incidents of sexual assault or other forms of crime while abroad.

The local embassy was responding to queries from The Gleaner following a USA Today investigative story that documented numerous incidents of sexual assault of US citizens, over several years, at some of Jamaica's leading resorts.

Jeremiah Knight, counsellor for public affairs at the embassy, stated that the number-one priority of the Department of State is the safety and security of US citizens overseas.

He said that part of this responsibility included providing information to help US citizens make informed decisions about travelling abroad. As such, he urged Americans to always be in the know and to keep in touch with the relevant authorities.

"In reported cases in Jamaica, the US Embassy provides support services to include assistance with the appropriate medical care, filing out a police report, and making contact with relatives or friends," Knight said.

"The US Embassy and the Government of Jamaica have a long-standing collaboration on security, including the protection of US citizens in country. The Government of Jamaica continues to provide an avenue for the US Embassy to share its concerns regarding the security of American citizens and collaborates on ways to address them."

No attempt to deceive or cover up - JHTA

The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) says that it condemns any acts of assault and all other threatening incidents against visitors and citizens alike.

In a release yesterday, the JHTA said that their members take seriously any incident that threatens the safety and security of visitors.

"At no time is there any attempt by the hotels to deceive or cover up," the statement said.

"Whenever there is an incident, the entity involved communicates and cooperates immediately with the police, the Jamaica Tourist Board, and other stakeholders such as embassies to resolve the issue and where necessary, to let the law take its course."

The JHTA said that members invest in special training of their staff in a bid to ensure the safety and security of guests.

The tourism organisation said that while they did not consider the issue of sexual assault of visitors to be widespread, they noted that one incident was one too many.