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Allegations of rape are “widespread in the container shipping industry”, according to a female cadet, who claims she was raped while serving a year at sea on a Maersk Line vessel.
Five Maersk crew have been suspended, but the alleged victim claims that of the 50 women in her year at the US Merchant Marine Academy, all reported sexual harassment, including at least five rapes, while at sea.
The Maersk cadet became a victim’s advocate (VA) on her return from her sea ...
Comment on this article
Edward Enos
October 13, 2021 at 7:35 pmThis story is certainly getting global coverage, as well it should. It’s stunning to me that seafarers so often complain about the conditions aboard any given ship, physically and mentally, especially during the past two years when the crews aboard ships during COVID have suffered so much by being trapped aboard their ships.
Everyone seems to understand and agree, these conditions during the COVID pandemic are horrible and should be addressed by the Global Maritime Industry as a whole.
But RAPE aboard any ship, of a cadet, by a ship’s officer, on an industry leading MAERSK container ship, with an American crew?????
Are you kidding me? Truly this represents the nadir of professional and industry leadership by any measure.
Our industry seems unified and more concerned about clean air and the fuel we burn, than the physical and mental health of their crews. Is this the right prioritization of that which we find most important? Apparently so.
Crews all over the world are still stuck aboard ships, abandoned and/or unpaid, some are starving living off donated food. Yet, the industry as a whole remain unmoved. Headlines and media stories are out there, lifting awareness.
But what is actually being done?
When a Senior Engineering Officer can sit in his cabin, with several other ship’s officers, and consume so much alcohol that their behavior degenerates to a level to even consider ‘rapping’ a young woman who is likely the same age as his own daughter; I have to wonder when did this become professionally acceptable to the rest of seafarers? Or to the Maritime Academy from where the cadets get their training? Or to their Labor Union? Or to the ship owners and their executives in the home office?
Yes, the men involved, all of them that night, not just the single rapist, need to have their day in court. Let’s hear their side, indeed. Personally I would love to hear whatever this 1st Assistant Engineer has to say for himself. And his drunken cohorts.
And the Captain, too.
The young 19 y/o cadet will certainly suffer even more from bringing this event to light. Thats always the case, yes? And it’s what these men count on. That the female involved is forced to worry about her career ahead … or lack of one, is further punishment.
THAT situation is always the case, too.
Industry media should follow this story in the weeks and months ahead. It should make headlines at each event. Every mariner need to be made aware of the outcome of this story, as punitive as it may be (let’s hope). Maybe only then will behavior actually change. And that can’t happen soon enough.