Update on Marriott and Rape Case

Posted on | August 23, 2009 |

By Holly Buchanan

Marriott’s PR efforts took a step in the right direction last week after the uproar over the case of a woman who was raped in the parking lot of a Marriott Hotel in Stamford, CT.

In an email communication, here’s the latest response from Marriott:

We wish to convey our respect and sympathy for Ms. Doe and her family, who were the victims of a horrendous crime at one of our franchised hotels in 2006. Fortunately, the perpetrator has been caught, convicted and is serving time for his offense.
It was a mistake to suggest that the victim of this tragic incident was responsible for the vicious crime against her. As soon as we learned that this offensive language was included by the insurance company’s defense lawyers in their response to Ms. Doe’s civil suit, we asked that it be withdrawn and it was on Monday, August 17.
This incident is not reflective of our corporate culture or ethical standards, and we apologize to all of our guests and customers who were so deeply offended by the words used in the legal pleading.
Regards,
Marriott Customer Care

Here’s why this is a step in the right direction:

They convey that the perpetrator has been caught and is serving his sentence. They address women’s desire for justice.
They are clear that it is a mistake to suggest that a victim of rape is somehow responsible for her attack. This was the specific thing that outraged so many people.
They finally address their responsibilities and actions in the case. “As soon as we learned that this offensive language was included by the insurance company’s defense lawyers in their response to Ms. Doe’s civil suit, we asked that it be withdrawn and it was on Monday, August 17.” THAT was the most important information that has been missing from earlier communications.

I understand that Marriott is slave to their lawyers in all this. But this communication was so much more effective than earlier communication efforts for the reasons above.

We’ll see if this latest effort has the desired effect.