Breaking the silence on shipping's sexual offences

A groundbreaking study from the University of Winchester has gathered evidence indicating the extent of the maritime industry's problem with onboard sexual assault and harassment. Amy Field reports

New research findings from the University of Winchester are shedding light on the alarming reality of sexual offences experienced by seafarers. Commissioned by the campaigning charity Safer Waves, the research is one of the first to explore the breadth of sexual offences onboard merchant vessels.

Dr Genevieve Waterhouse is co-author of the research report, which is titled Sexual Offences at Sea: Experiences of Victimisation, Witnessing and Reporting. She and her University of Winchester colleagues used an anonymous online survey to gather responses from 276 participants, who were recruited with the help of maritime organisations including Nautilus International.

'The key reason for this kind of research is that we just have very little information about what is happening at sea in terms of sexual offences,' Dr Waterhouse said. 'We were really looking to have a broader understanding of what's going on at sea for various types of Merchant Navy seafarers.'

Sexual offences prevalent onboard

The majority of respondents reported either witnessing or experiencing some form of sexual offence. Gender discrimination and sexual harassment were the most reported, but offences such as sexual assault and coercive behaviour were also highlighted. A concerning number of participants – 49 – said they had experienced sexual assault in the last five years.

Despite the scale of the issue, the study revealed how the majority of incidents are going unreported. The survey defined 'reporting' broadly, including confiding in a colleague, but still found that most victims and witnesses had told no one.

Reasons for not reporting

Several barriers to reporting were identified, including limited access to communication channels at sea, fear of being disbelieved or labelled as a troublemaker, and concerns about the impact on their career. The hierarchical nature of shipboard life often exacerbates the issue, especially if the alleged perpetrator holds a senior position.

'If you're at sea you might not have access to the internet, and even if you do, you might not feel that it's entirely private,' Dr Waterhouse said. 'There can be concerns about the professional outcomes; you might not then get the contracts that they would otherwise expect.'

The study also looked at how cases were handled when reported, revealing low satisfaction across the board. In cases of sexual harassment, 44% said action was taken but this was not satisfactory, while only 33% found the action taken satisfactory. For rape, 36% said the response was unsatisfactory, and 19% said no action was taken at all. Coercive behaviour saw similarly poor outcomes, with a third reporting no further action.

Limitations of the study

While the findings are important, the authors are clear that this study is just the beginning. The survey recruited participants through open access, using professional networks and social media channels. This self-selection approach allowed seafarers with relevant experiences to participate voluntarily, rather than being randomly chosen.

While the approach helped extract valuable personal accounts, it may have introduced bias, those affected by sexual offences were more likely to take part. A further challenge was the potential presence of non-human or automated responses, which, despite efforts to screen them out, may have impacted the accuracy of some findings.

Working together to create change

Although the majority of seafarers are neither perpetrators nor victims, Dr Waterhouse emphasises that creating a safer environment at sea is a shared responsibility. Everyone onboard has a role to play in fostering a culture of zero tolerance toward inappropriate behaviour, something that must be supported through strong leadership and effective training.

She highlights the role of Safer Waves in advancing this change, as it offers confidential support and legal guidance through trained volunteers with maritime experience. The organisation also delivers targeted training for active bystanders and first responders, helping crew members recognise unacceptable conduct and respond appropriately when incidents occur.

Dr Waterhouse stresses the importance of unions in driving cultural change at sea, by supporting individual victims, publicly acknowledging the problem and promoting collective responsibility for creating a safer working environment. She argues that unions like Nautilus can help set clear expectations for acceptable behaviour onboard, advocate for zero-tolerance policies, and work with employers to improve training and reporting frameworks.

Support for Nautilus members

For members who have experienced harassment or feel unsafe, your first point of contact should be your Nautilus representative. In urgent situations, members can also access Nautilus 24/7, a round-the-clock helpline providing immediate assistance and support anywhere in the world. Whether you're at sea or ashore, help is always available when you need it.

• Read the full research report at ly/safer-waves-research