I am a 34y/o female who has been blessed to travel within and outside of the US for many years. I loved the time I spent in Cancun but definitely saw the crazy, "lets get wasted" mentality of many young (as well as older) travelers there.
I would never walk the streets at night by myself, and even during the day I would always make sure I was in well populated areas if by myself. Many times we think that these 'bad people' are the ones that live there (which happens of course) but remember that you have young males that travel there too and when they get drunk, they rape the same way they rape here when they're back home. Let' face it and stop acting like it's a normal, teenage right of passage - alcohol to excess will always put you at risk!...no mater if you're young or old.
I feel badly for Suzy and in no way am judging her or her family but the only way we can learn is by looking at situations like these and say "how could we diminish the risk of this happening to my child?" We have to place the security of our kids in our own hands because obviously no one else will, whether here or abroad.

I lived in Cancun for two years. I would watch young tourists drink on the street, drink on the bus, puke, and behave in a way that they would never do back home. When you live in beautiful Cancun the only blight you see, are young people doing things they would never do in their own community.

First, anyone who has a brain knows that Mexico is not a lawful nation. I can tell you of a story where a young man was taken from Cancun by policemen for "public intox" and driven out into the desert, robbed, beaten, and left for dead. Do you think there is any prosecution for this? Of course not. Mexican law enforcement is corrupt AT BEST.

Keep your kids at home. Don't go to Mexico unless you stay in your resort where they have an incentive to keep it safe. Enjoy the beach, don't enjoy the town.

Neither geography nor morals plays the determining factor in a rape. A rapist is, by definition, a preditor and will adjust his approch according to the situation he finds his potential victim. In addition, many are well practiced con men who practice a friendly likeable front. Rather than preaching to our daughters about the motives of strange men we should be teaching them the danger signs of all men. I know, I survived a aquantiance rape my freshman year of college, at college. I was niave and came from a home where sex was never mentioned and I was expected to save myself for marriage.

Everybody seems to be commenting o her age or the parents, the reality is it happens all the time. you can be 18 or 80. telling your story is the first step in stoping this. the issue is not 'they were drinkers' 'they were young' 'the parent weren't paying atention'whatever. There will always be violence against women.Women need to speak up. tell their stories. it's the only way to stop the sexual violence.

Why not take a really great family vacation instead and invite one good friend for your teen?

It is not a matter of "blame" but one of good common sense that an 18, 19, 20, and even 21 year old young person is not quite adult yet...nor worldwise...doesn't matter how mad they get....if your three-year old is screeming her bloody head off because she does not want to get in the car seat do you let her have her way? How about your 18 year old...no seat belt ok? It just isn't worth it. Joan

Everyone has to realize that there is crime and evil people in the world, not just in Mexico or Aruba. Here in the United States as well. As parents, we all have preached to our daughters and sons about being cautious with strangers, and we try to protect our children at all costs! As parents, we do the best we can at raising our children, there is no specific manual to address the rapists, serial murders, child molestors etc. We, as parents should be empathic to the children these horrible things happened to, as well as to the parents, because, as a parent, we wished we could have prevented any harm to our children no matter what age they are. Have any of you as parents made a mistake or a misjudgement? My daughter was raped by her long time boyfriend over three years ago, I didn't find out till last year. I cried, that she felt it was her fault she was raped and couldn't tell me. My daughter wasn't out of the United States, and this was her boyfriend for a year. I empathize with any and all parents that have had tragedy pertaining with there children, it is heartwrenching to know that harm has came to your child.

why was she alone?

I must say I travel to cancun several times a year, and recently graduated college. I have been there on many spring breaks and see how people act. It is VERY easy to drink to much and get in a bad situation! Its the same no matter WHAT big city you are in, whether its cancun or new york city, people need to stick with their friends and have their friends take care of them! Dont blame cancun, blame yourselves for getting in those situations! End of story!

I was sickened to read some of the comments that both parents and young people alike had posted regarding this article. Just one year ago I was raped by a police officer in Cancun while on a college spring break trip. In one moment my life crashed down around me. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of these events and ways in which I could have prevented the unthinkable.
Instead of assigning blame to Suzanne for moments that she can not take back, we should be inspired by her courage, her quest for justice, and the hope the she has brought to others through her story. As a fellow rape survivor I am deeply touched by Suzanne's story and was inspired by her battle to find justice in a city where anything but prevails.

commenting on Kelly,June 3, 2006, I'm in total agreement with her. There are perverts EVERY WHERE! One place where they are isn't any safer than any other. It's no wonder more and more people are telling there stories on talk shows, to news reporters and any where else they can! They should and I pray that the exposure continue. That'sa the only way that we will get REAL JUSTICE for what is happening to us and our loved ones. I'm ELATED and always will be when we get the ones that's INTIMIDATING AND THREATING people to do bad things if we don't do what they say or if we TELL anyone.

i am turning 18 this year and will be going on my senior trip to the bahamas. I am smart enough to stay with my group of friends i am going with. If girls are not responsible and mature enough to realize they need to stay with who they came with, then they are basically asking to get raped.

To people who think her biggest mistake was not staying with her friends, you seriously need to be educated about the statistics on rape. Most rapes are committed by people who knew the victim. Colleges cover up what really goes on the same way Cancun did. And for the same reason: money.

I think it is time for parents in this country to stop trying to be "friends" with our kids giving in to whatever they want, and get back to being the responsible, no-nonsense parents that we had a generation ago. Since when are teenagers old, or smart enough to handle the peer pressure of being away from home? At least when the Senior trips were domestic, the most that could happen is that you would be sent back home by the chaperones. I doubt that kids today even know what a chaperone is? Face it America, we are sending our kids overseas into a world where Americans are not the most popular people to begin with. How can we continue to justify this as a nation, and as parents? Even the president's daughters are Just another example of "Girls gone Wild", which is what the rest of the world expects from our kids.

one must be wary when traveling. I always felt safer when with about 30 rugby players. but now with terrorist even that might not protect you. just stay home and spend your $$ here.

Hi i am a student and i know how hard it is to go out and be able to trust people that are around you... But always remember it isnt illegal to ask the "police officer" to give you his number and call it in to see if its real. Always carry a cell phone or be in public when out somewhere. I have been sexually assualted by a stranger before and it wouldnt have happen if i would have stayed in a group or in a public place. its sad but not alot of people will stop a crime but a person is more unlikely to comit one out in public. So stay safe when you go somewhere and make sure you tell someone where you are going so if you dont show up in a few hours someone will look for you.

i think this story is sooo touching.. i just wanna say thanks!

you all really need to understand. it dosen't matter where you are. most people are raped by someone they do know. it wasn't her fault. yes, she should have not been alone, or talking to a standger. but just about all of us have. you can't blame her. and like i said way over half people who are raped know the rapist. a senior trip is filled with memories and memories. you can't take that away because of some things that happen. thy can happen anywhere. not just at tourist places. it can happen even in your own community.

I cant say I know what it is like to be raped but my big sister has been raped and it caused the downfall of my family there is no way to justify this and i will pray for you

i think that it wrong and no one should go threw rape its painful and it change change a person