America’s favorite Caribbean vacation spots are facing renewed scrutiny after a series of violent crimes, kidnappings, and sexual assaults prompted new U.S. travel warnings and harrowing survivor accounts.
For decades, turquoise waters and family-friendly resorts made the Caribbean a go-to destination for millions of American tourists.
That image is rapidly unraveling as violent crime surges across multiple islands, forcing the U.S. State Department to issue elevated travel advisories for destinations long marketed as safe.
Jamaica is now under a Level 3 travel warning, the same category used for active conflict zones, urging Americans to reconsider travel altogether.
Grenada was recently elevated to Level 2, joining The Bahamas, while concern is growing over Turks and Caicos amid rising reports of violent crime.
One survivor hopes her story serves as a warning to parents and travelers.
Alicia Stearman was just 16 years old when she was kidnapped during a family vacation in the Bahamas.
While alone outside her four-star hotel in Nassau, she was approached by a man claiming to be a parasailing instructor. He offered her a short boat ride and assured her they would stay close to shore.
Once on the water, the boat sped away.
Stearman said she was taken at knifepoint to an abandoned island, forced into a deteriorating shed, and brutally raped over the course of eight hours. She said her attacker threatened to kill her and her family if she ever reported the crime.
She is now 45 and says the trauma never left, per the Daily Mail.
She described ongoing flashbacks, triggers, and lasting psychological damage, adding that many parents have no idea how exposed their children can be, even at luxury resorts. She believes predators operate openly in tourist areas and resorts, exploiting visitors’ trust.
Stearman said fear and shame kept her silent for years.
When she eventually returned to the Bahamas decades later to file a report, she claims authorities dismissed her and attempted to discourage her from pursuing the case.
While official statistics show reported sexual assaults declined in early 2025, advocates argue many crimes go unreported, especially those involving tourists.
Other travelers shared similar experiences.
Travel blogger Sophia Molnar said a vacation in the Dominican Republic turned into what she called the most frightening experience of her life.
While swimming, Molnar and her partner had everything stolen from the beach, including phones, credit cards, hotel keys, and clothing.
Using tracking software, they later located one of the stolen phones at a black-market location. She said police demanded payment to recover it, and the following night, intruders attempted to break into their hotel room, forcing them to barricade the door.
Molnar said she will never return to the Caribbean.
The State Department continues to urge Americans to remain vigilant, even inside resorts, warning that violent crime can occur anywhere and that local law enforcement response may be limited.
For survivors like Stearman, the message is blunt. Paradise is not always what it appears, and the risks are far greater than many families realize.
