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Holiday Inn Allowed Sexual Predators Access To Women’s Rooms, Per New Lawsuit

Hilton-Owned Holiday Inn Express & Suites Allowed Sexual Predators Access To Women’s Rooms Before They Were Raped, According to New Lawsuit

Holiday Inn Allowed Sexual Predators Access To Women's Rooms, Per New Lawsuit

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (March 5, 2023) – Numerous women have been sexually assaulted after staff at major hotel chain allowed sexual predators into women’s rooms, according to a new lawsuit.

Hotel staff allegedly handed over keys to sexual predators thereby giving them easy access to the victim’s rooms. In one instance, the perpetrator was able to convince both police and hotel staff to deliver the victim to his room.

One victim was able to thwart one of the sexual predators by closing the door on his hand thereby severing one of his fingers.  The perpetrators in the assaults appear to be using a similar tactic. They tell hotel staff that they know the women and are then handed over keycards.

Most hotel chains have a strict policy that requires staff only hand out keys to people whose identity can be verified and are registered to the room. Hilton-Owned Holiday Inn Express & Suites has thus far declined to comment about the pending litigation.

Liability For Hotel Sexual Assaults

Sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults are much more common than many people may realize. According to RAINN, “On average, there are 463,634 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States. Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.” Sexual assaults can occur in any setting. There are a number of steps that people can take to reduce the likelihood of being the victim of sexual assault.

  • It is always best to be aware of your surroundings while walking.
  • It is safer to travel in groups especially at night and in areas you are unfamiliar with.
  • Always park in well-lit areas and keep your doors locked.

Hotels and other businesses have a legal obligation to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. When a property owner has actual or constructive notice of a dangerous condition on their property and fail to act, this could form the basis of a negligence claim. Property owners must also take reasonable actions to protect their guests from criminal activity. The level of security measures that a business will need typically depends on the history of crime at the location of the business and in the general area.

Intruders entering a hotel guest’s room is a real threat. Accordingly, most hotels have strict requirements about who is given a hotel room key. Any person that wants a hotel room key will typically need to show identification along with being registered for the room. Despite this, there have been many instances where poorly trained hotel staff don’t follow procedures and simply hand out keys to sexual predators. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any sexual assault at a hotel.

  • A police report of the incident should be made.
  • Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
  • Surveillance footage should be sought.
  • The actions of the hotel’s staff should be scrutinized.

Sexual assaults are one of the most traumatic events that a person can go through. Victims often suffer from long-term post traumatic stress disorder. They are also more vulnerable to a long list of other negative health outcomes. Any person that is the victim of a sexual assault at a Holiday Inn or other hotel may have legal recourse through a civil claim. A sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are.

Investigating A Hotel Sexual Assault

We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to the victims of sexual assault who were staying at a Holiday Inn Express. There needs to be a thorough investigation into all of these events. Like most other hotel chains, the Holiday Inn has policies in place to prevent room keys from being handed out to strangers. Why were these policies apparently not being followed. It is our sincere hope steps are taken to prevent other sexual assaults at this hotel chain.

Have you or someone that you care about been the victim of a sexual assault at a Holliday Inn? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of sexual abuse attorneys are here for you. We care deeply that assault victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support after an incident we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 800-529-9997.

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Jeff Korek

Jeff S. Korek

Senior Trial Partner​

Jeff S. Korek joined Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. in 1992 as the Senior Trial partner. Known for his meticulous preparation and dedication to his clients, Jeff has obtained some of the state’s highest verdicts and settlements.