Increase in female crews reporting sexual harassment is positive shift, says MHSS

As the industry comes together this week to celebrate Day of the Seafarer and promote the theme ‘My Harassment-Free Ship’, leading mental health support provider MHSS reports a rise in the number of women reporting sexual harassment onboard.



This reported increase follows its participation in a mentorship programme run by MHSS, member of OneCare Group, specifically designed for women cadets in the maritime industry. Despite the rise, MHSS believes this is a positive shift as more women feel supported enough to report incidents.



The innovative programme, pioneered by Chief Clinical Officer at MHSS, Güven Kale (pictured), trains mentors to effectively support female cadets by addressing issues such as impostor syndrome, harassment, and bullying. Currently the initiative has around 50 mentors working with 100 female seafarers and there are plans to expand the programme further.



“Many women in the industry go unheard and are afraid to speak up. Now that they feel supported, they’re beginning to come forward and share their experiences,” says Kale. 



Through helping to build trust and create open lines of communication, it has empowered women to report sexual harassment and other issues more confidently.



“We’re seeing more women come forward and report harassment onboard, which is a positive shift,” added Charles Watkins, CEO and Clinical Psychologist at MHSS. “It’s programmes like these that help create a sense of community and support for women at sea, giving them the confidence to speak up when facing harassment or other challenges.”

This marks a significant step forward in supporting women in the maritime industry, providing the necessary tools and environment for them to speak up and address the challenges they often face.



MHSS recalls an incident of sexual harassment where a female seafarer contacted its team of clinical psychologists as she was experiencing severe anxiety and was too afraid to report the incident. She eventually decided to file an official complaint and the perpetrator was dismissed from his role.



The seafarer was experiencing symptoms including severe anxiety, hypervigilance, social withdrawal, difficulty sleeping, guilt, shame, and recurring flashbacks. While these symptoms impacted her emotional wellbeing, the brave crew member chose to remain onboard and even extended her contract to maintain stability and routine without disrupting her professional responsibilities.



MHSS provided immediate psychological support and conducted an assessment, indicating a high level of anxiety. The evaluation indicated a high possibility of developing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Follow-up interventions, including psychological first aid and trauma sessions, have been scheduled to ensure ongoing support and help her develop effective coping mechanisms.

Mr Watkins added: “Harassment onboard ships is not going away and I welcome the IMO shining a spotlight on the issue today as we celebrate Day of the Seafarer. We must work together as an industry to support victims and educate crews that no person should feel fear of being attacked, either verbally or physically. Leaders need to lead by example and adopt a zero-tolerance approach.”