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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 year. She said: “The number of girls who have come to me to report a case of sexual assault is absolutely sickening. Since returning from sea I have learned of additional women in lower classes who were also raped during sea year, and I know that there are at least 10 young women currently enrolled at the US Merchant Marine Academy who were raped during their sea year. And there are cases I don’t know about.”
In detailing her alleged assault on the Maritime Legal Aid & Advocacy (MLAA) website, the cadet painted a picture of drunkenness and lewd behaviour and talked of being heavily pressured to drink strong alcoholic drinks to the point where she was unable to protect herself.
The Loadstar asked Maersk Line what safeguards were in place to protect cadets and other women at sea? The carrier responded: “Maersk Line is investigating a recent anonymous posting of an alleged sexual assault of a cadet onboard a US flag vessel in 2019.”
It said Maersk was “working closely with the US labour unions who represent the officers and crew, the US Merchant Marine Academy, where the cadet is enrolled, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD), which oversees the academy and US maritime industry, the US Department of Transportation, which oversees MARAD, and the US Coast Guard which enforces US flag regulations and laws”.
“Maersk Line has strict zero tolerance policies regarding alcohol use and sexual assault/sexual harassment on its vessels, in full compliance with US government regulations. As part of the investigation process, the master, chief engineer, first assistant engineer and two junior engineers have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.”
In response to the MLAA posting, many women have written in support of the cadet, as well as a few who have outlined their own experiences.
One wrote: “Unfortunately, the sexual harassment in the maritime industry extends to the offices as well. It’s a culture tolerated by the industry. I have been victim to sexual harassment and coercion in the Maersk offices.”
However, the MLAA, told The Loadstar the issue was far broader than just Maersk – it was “an industry wide issue”, it said.
Bill Woodhour, CEO of Maersk Line, said: “We are shocked and deeply saddened about what we have read. We take this situation seriously and are disturbed by the allegations made in this anonymous posting, which has only recently been brought to our attention. We do everything we can to ensure that all of our workplace environments, including vessels, are a safe and welcoming workplace, and we’ve launched a top to bottom investigation.”
The cadet concluded her piece: “This year I put together a resume to apply for jobs after graduation, and I put ‘victim’s advocate’ on my resumé. When I went to a resumé workshop at Kings Point, I was told by two USMMA employees that I should take ‘victim’s advocate’ off my resumé, because ‘it makes people in our line of work uncomfortable, and you wouldn’t want to do that’.
“That’s the mindset of this school and this industry.”
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.