Social Media Influencer Regrets Not Being Fully Honest About Dangers Encountered While in Dominican Republic

An aerial photo of Majestic Elegance Punta Cana, Bávaro - Provincia La Altagracia, Dominican Republic. Justin Aikin/Unsplash

Cora Smith, a social media influencer who runs the Great Escape Blog website, and corresponding Instagram page, which currently has 27,300 followers, says she regrets not be fully honest about her experiences in the Dominican Republic.

Smith decided to tell with her story after Tammy Lawrence-Daley, 51, claimed in a Facebook post, to have been attacked at the Majestic Elegance resort in Punta Cana.

Smith’s decision to step forward comes at a time when the Dominican Republic faces criticisms over the recent deaths of tourists there.

Smith and her husband Jay traveled the Dominican Republic during the months of March to June 2018, which was to be the start of a two-year trip around the world, reported Business Insider.

The couple claims that they didn’t profit from the trip to the Dominican Republic, as at the time, as their Instagram account was merely in its formative stages.

While her life may have appeared carefree through the distorted lens of social media, Smith says her real life wasn’t quite what it seemed.

Nearly Kidnapped and Sexually Assaulted

Smith claims that during multiple incidences, all of which occurred within weeks of her arrival, she was nearly kidnapped and sexually assaulted.

One incident occurred while she was jogging, during which Smith claims a man stopped his car in front of her and tried to force her in. Smith says she turned around and started running the other way, after which the man got back in his car and drove off.

Another incident took place while Smith and her husband were riding bikes. Smith claims that three men on motorbikes rode up to her and started trying to grab and grope her, “They were violating me in every way you can except being raped,” Smith said, “I kept trying to kick them away but I had no control of what was happening. They pushed my bike to try to get me to fall over. I’m yelling for my husband but he’s ahead of me and he couldn’t hear me.”

After a period of time, the three men finally let go of her and her bike, and she was able to get away and reach her husband who had been riding ahead of her. Smith says that from that point forward, she made sure to stay close to her husband.

Smith said “We were very worried about bashing anyone or anything. In all honesty, influencers are too scared to tell the truth and feel they need to show the beautiful side,“ she went on to say ”Most people only want to hear the positive things.”

Smith decided against going to police while in the Dominican Republic. She claims that during a previous encounter, authorities threatened to throw her husband in jail and take his money if he refused to hand over his wallet to them.

“I was miserable. I was sad, I was depressed. It created a depression that stuck for the better part of the year.” Smith said.

The couple, being unable to afford a change in travel plans, decided to stay in the country, and later found a community of expats in Costambar, which Smith says, helped them to feel a bit safer during the remainder of their three-month visit.