I just heard an American university student who was volunteering in Southern Belize was raped on Caye Caulker over the weekend while her group was visiting the island for some R and R.

Caye Caulker has always been one of my favorite places to go, but with all the incidents recently I'm not so sure anymore.

Haven't seen or heard anythinh about it.

I haven't seen or heard anything on the news, but a couple of people say it is true that a rape occurred and that there was an arrest the same night. However, I don't have any details and haven't tried to confirm it. So perhaps it should stay in the category of widespread rumour, until confirmed.

--Lan Sluder

Havnt heard anything about that but I did witness some very unladylike like action's of several young women during lunch over the weekend..absolutely raunchy...for such young lady's..hope the story is not true..

Debbie, um, raunchy behaviour doesn't mean that rape is deserved. I'm sure you mustn't have meant it the way it reads.

when young, single women (IN GENERAL)are here, they hang around the hustlers and drink with them and also give them the confidence for the hustlers to hang around; so now when these things happen it makes the island look bad when they are the same ones who ask for it..people warn them about who to socialize with but even so they don't care. In regards to what Debbie said it definitely doesn't mean what you want it to mean.

Obviously rape is never justified, but "raunchy" and probably drunken behaviour in the wrong company can increase the odds of something unpleasant happening. Explanation (which is what I think Debbie was referring to) is quite different from justification.

I certainly did not imply that rape or any type of violence is EVER justified. I did alot of traveling in my 20s...hitchhiking through Europe..Africa,,Asia..and it amazes me I had no incidents...but I find it disrespectful and alarming to hear young girls talking to vendors saying they want their coffee strong and black like their men...to say they dont want white rice because they are here for only black fun..to sit on the wall at the split with legs spread while 5 locals get to hang in the water and talk to them and get an eyeful as these girls did over the weekend. It offended me and worried me about the action of these girls..I have no ideal if any harm ever came to them...I wasnt going to mention this cause I just thought it rude and crude...and dangerous....

I have learned from my own experience that "seashell" really likes to stir shit and create chaos out of nothing....how in the world could you gather or assume that Debbie in anyway meant that raunchy behavior merits rape......Seashell....get a life...please and leave people alone....

These small time "gangsters" seem to have no interest in legitimate work and spend idle time on the beach waiting for something to happen. They aren't dressed in beach clothes, don't want to buy food or drink, don't take tours, never shop in stores. Nobody clears them from the beach, and they eventually commit crimes of opportunity - a break-in, burglary, robbery or rape. They also murder people. Government expects stores and saloonkeepers to clear them away with "No Loitering" signs and private security. It doesn't work, crime increases, and more people like the original writer avoid Belize.

What country are you in?

Ditto..
Amir..
You must be on the wrong messageboard....or not in your right mind..this is a beautiful peaceful place...with every incident reported and blown up...In the 8 yrs I have lived here we have had one murder...sadly it was a beautiful woman who did not deserve what happened to her...but I could be back up north with 10 dead daily.in every village..NO THANKS....Up North is the U.S.

U r rite. I also made mistake of not saying my thoughts included the crime on Ambergris Caye.

Goff was not a victim of the Island people..or any at hand activity...his demise was due to the hand of officials and the person responsible is being prosecuted..how you can turn that incident into a tourist watch situation is non understandable....

Cooper, I agree with most of what you're saying. Anyone who spends time on CC, or has lived there for some time, knows exactly what you're talking about. You can go to the split, I&I or O'side and see these girls hanging with the wanna be gangsters. No one is justifying acts of violence, but I would equate some of their actions to walking down the street in Belize waiving around $1000 in cash and not expecting something sinister to take place. Frankly I’m tired of people with limited knowledge make less than accurate statements about CC and Belize in general. Tried to stay out of this one, but felt compelled to throw in my 2 cents.

EXACTLY!!!!! I also have tried to stay off the messageboard at times, but not with much luck....

Really!I haven't seen or heard anything on the news

I have been visiting Caye Caulker since the 80's. I was there 2 weeks ago. I love the place and hate to say it, but the place is going downhill, fast lately. I read all the comments by the locals and expats and they are jaded by their financial and emotional investments in the caye. Lots of them have become as oportunistic as the "beach-bums" they complain about.
The place has a creepy feel to it these days, you are observed almost like chattel as you get off the water taxi, people sizing you up and fighting over who gets to be your erstwhile "main man". I was taken aback by a blog I recently read on one of your websites, that the locals feel that should only have to fish for 3 months then work 2-3 hours a day, a few days a week for the other 9 months!?! This attitude does seem to be prevalent, there are more and more "parasites" feeding on an ever decreasing amount of tourists in this economy. The people of Caye Caulker, (most of them) need to wake up and smell the cofee, get a job, stop panhandling tourists, get rid of all the undesireables who camp out there preying on anyone gullible enough to lend them an ear. Even the mainland Belizeans complain about the people in the cayes.It has got to the point where it is not worth the hassle of driving off all the mooches. Better to go to the east, where the Gov. is proactive about huslers destroying the otherwise great atmosphere. I have also heard horror stories from expats who try and buy land and build, they are treated like banks to be robbed at will by the would be contractors, realty agents.

Which contractors?Which realtors? Which locals?
Caye caulker is suffering from a problem of outsiders coming and mooching off the visitors but you are saying it is actually local Caye Caulker folks. The great thing about such a tiny place is that we have only two active realtors and five active builders so if there is a complaint it is THAT guy and not a condemnation of a large faceless industry. When THAT guy is corrected or gone then the whole problem is solved.
Tell us which exact moocher, realtor or builder do you think is the problem and we will try to do something.

I'm not sure who you are talking about. I am just finishing building my house on the north island. My realtor is no longer on the island, but he performed everything expected of him to my satisfaction. From the time my offer was accepted to when I had my title in hand was less than 3 months. I paid less than the asking price. Could I have gotten the property for less who knows what the actual owner would have accepted? Remember the real estate agent is hired by the seller and is looking after the sellers interest. I hired my own attorney to prepare and exam all documents related to my property and represent my interests. The buying of property in Belize is different than in the states or Europe so you need to be somewhat more careful. Do I have a problem with my contractor, no. My only complaint is him taking a couple months longer to do what was contracted for. I paid him what was contracted for and he built what I contracted him to do. If I had been here the whole time it was being built I'm not sure that mistakes that happened wouldn't have still happened. They've been corrected. Building on an island anyplace is difficult at best. Where I chose to build has no water, no electricity, no town pier to land materials at, no transportation other than man power to move the material. Oh, yes don't forget the mosquito's and no'see'ums that aid in construction. Whether you build on the north side or the south it is not easy to build. I have dealt with 3 of the contractors working in CC and have had good results. Anyone contracting someone to build them a house should do the same as they would in the States. Ask the people who they built for. CC is small, you can ask anyone who built what house and you'll get an answer quickly. As Dane said there aren't many contractors on CC, so its not hard to get a read on each of them. The bad contractors soon don't get much work, especially if the buyer does their due diligence. Could I have gotten a better house for less, who knows. I'm happy with my experience in buying, building and soon living on CC. Don't generalize someone else complaints state what you experienced.

I am not on board with your comments rollingstone. I have been to Caye Caulker three times this year and did not run into any of the mooches you describe. It is a delightful place. Like Ron I have dealt with realtors and builders without any major complaints. Please share specifics on those which you spout.

I will however make a comment about San Pedro. I normally spend half a day on AC and my May trip was no different. For the first time I was approached by two pan handlers. A particular lady seemed to have a touching story. I gave her $5 BZD, she said NO I need 10....WTF...go figure. That will be the last story I fall for on AC.

Those of us who care about Caye Caulker are eager to hear specifics about your bad experience here. The Caye got this way because the people here made it a great place to be.
It is small and problems can be managed.
Which "locals" did you have a problem with?

well said

May I interject something that tourists everywhere tend to forget from time to time --- that behaviour is a language.

A certain behaviour in your home country might say - "girl having fun"; wheras the same behaviour in another land might say "girl for sale, cheap" or even worse.

I don't like blaming victims at all. On the other hand, people do need to take responsibility for the results of blatantly/needlessly risky behaviour. Know the culture you visit a little ..... and respect it's limits. If you do that you're 100% more likely to have a safe and special vacation.

Playing devils advocate .............if this one instance had happened in Caye Caulker, Cayo or say..... Dallas what would your reaction have been?

Well said Diane. To paraphrase another poster, dont expect to walk thru town (any town!) waving money and be safe... I see these as the same issues.

i bought 2 parcels on the South Island an haven't contracted to build as of yet.The realtor I used is no lomger on the Island but I found him and his wife very helpful.I hired a lawyer in Belize city and all went well and in a timely fashion.My wife and I contracted to have 1 property sand filled and a small toe wall built around the primiter to hold in the sand.Thats when all the contractors arrived there must have been 10 guys who build houses.I asked to see the houses but all were on the mainland, yea right!we have been going to CC for 10 yrs and compared to the Bronx we find most people there helpful and honest.

Just like anywhere,wherever you go there you are.What are you bringing with you?