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Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment (SASH) at sea in the superyacht industry – and the maritime industry as a whole – is a difficult and traumatic ordeal for those affected. In this article, we discuss sexual abuse in yachting, why it happens, what we can do to reduce its likelihood, and who to contact if you or anyone you know is/has been affected.
Please note: If you or anyone you know has been affected, ISWAN has a 24-hour helpline. Yacht Crew Help is a free, confidential, multilingual helpline operated by ISWAN for yacht crew of any nationality, gender-identity, age, and regardless of whether you currently have a role or not.
All contact details and live chat are available at www.yachtcrewhelp.org
Why It Happens
As is the case with every workplace, sexual harassment is a pervasive problem in the maritime industry.
Added vulnerability at sea
In their article ‘Addressing Seafarers’ Vulnerability to Sexual Crimes at Sea and Lack of Accountability in the Industry’, Human Rights at Sea Interntional (HRaSi) explains:
“Justice in all sexual violence cases is hard to come by. Less than 2 in 100 cases of rape on land reported to the UK police in 2022 resulted in a charge. Charging rates around the world are similarly poor.
This means that if a person is raped on land in the UK, there is less than a 2% chance that the perpetrator will be charged. If a person is raped at sea, that rate decreases close to zero.”
As of 2024, the charity is currently advocating for the implementation of the Geneva Declaration On Human Rights At Sea, which asserts that human rights are applicable at sea just as they are on land.
The statistics speak for themselves
The struggle for justice is but one symptom of a wider problem. Nautilus International reported in a 2023 article that reports of abuse, bullying, harassment, and discrimination (ABHD) among seafarers have seen a significant rise in early 2023. Data from the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) reveal a nearly 50% increase in ABHD cases in Q1 2023 compared to the previous quarter. Most incidents involved abusive behavior by senior officers, with 19% relating to sexual abuse or harassment. Similarly, Nautilus International’s 24/7 helpline saw a 33% rise in ABHD-related calls during the same period, particularly from yacht crew members, who accounted for 75% of such reports.
Most cases reported to ISWAN helplines involved abusive or bullying behavior by senior officers, with 19% of cases related to sexual abuse or harassment. On ISWAN’s Yacht Crew Help helpline, reports of abuse, bullying, harassment, and discrimination surged by 125% quarter-on-quarter, underscoring a significant issue within the superyacht industry that needs urgent attention.
Seafaring culture
A toxic onboard culture, where crew members lack psychological safety, can be a significant root cause of harassment and abuse in the yachting industry.
Without a supportive environment where crew can speak up without fear of punishment or losing their jobs, bad behavior can thrive. Creating psychological safety fosters resilience and trust in leadership, which encourages reporting issues and taking action. However, when this is absent, coupled with the normalisation of alcohol use in the “work hard, play hard” yachting culture, misconduct such as harassment and sexual assault often goes unaddressed. Perpetrators may hide behind the excuse of alcohol misuse, further compounding the issue.
The importance of sound leadership
Leadership plays a pivotal role in shaping a vessel’s culture, and abuse of power is frequently linked to harassment and bullying. Gender inequality also exacerbates the problem, with women underrepresented in senior roles, contributing to a male-dominated industry where some crew members in power misuse their authority.
These systemic issues, along with unclear reporting structures and the lack of mandatory guidelines for smaller vessels, create an environment where victims feel they have no recourse, especially with the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that silence crew members. The transient nature of the industry and varying legal jurisdictions make addressing and reporting such incidents even more challenging, leading to low crew retention rates and ongoing dissatisfaction within the sector.
The Crew Coach has something to say about the myth “If you can’t handle the pressure, it’s not the right industry for you”.
“Endurance and resilience are highly valued traits for most roles in the yachting industry. So it’s not uncommon to hear statements like, “If you can’t handle the pressure, it’s not the right industry for you” or variations such as, “Just move on” or “Toughen up”.
But have you ever heard these words uttered in relation to a serious physical injury? When was the last time you heard of a captain being asked to work with a broken arm or a bosun with a spinal injury expected to abandon their rehab treatment to start charter season?
Physical injuries are usually taken seriously, and seeing a doctor, physiotherapist or other specialists isn’t seen as a source of shame. The same cannot be said when seeking help for stress, emotional trauma and psychological injuries. While mental health issues are not as visible, they can affect our well being as much as physical injuries. Despite society’s changing attitudes towards mental health care, therapy still carries a stigma in the yachting industry.
Therefore, it’s very telling that a staggering 75% of crew members believe the industry isn’t doing enough to deal with mental health problems and look after the well-being of crew; 70% believe there is no support in place for crew members who need mental healthcare.
If you struggle with mental health problems involving burnout, sexual harassment, bullying, trauma, depression and anxiety, you’re not in the minority. It’s more common than you think.”
Lack of thorough background checks
How it is that perpetrators make their way onto vessels in the first place? One plausible reason is a lack of background checks, which may allow individuals who may already have a bad record ‘pass through’ without much resistance, any previous offences or complaints overlooked.
Proper background checks don’t only make sense from a humanitarian perspective – it also makes sense from a business perspective, too. If every recruitment company were to carry out extensive and definitive background checks, the quality of seafarers would certainly be sourced from a more reliable pool, significantly reducing the risk of exposing yacht crew to danger.
Paving the way for a safer recruitment process
Companies like CrewPass provide reliable background checks in the maritime industry and take every verification seriously.
Created by Conrad Empson, a former crew member and star of Bravo’s “Below Deck” reality TV series, this crew vetting system aims to enhance security and safety in yacht recruitment. It provides a centralised platform for recruiters to conduct comprehensive global criminal background checks on crew members and verify their certifications.
How We Move Forward
When offences are met with silence and inaction, there is minimal (if any) deterrence. This allows abusers to continue their actions without consequence. All the issues raised in the previous section of this article are that we as an industry can combat in order to foster a safer environment for yacht crew everywhere.
CEO of Human Rights at Sea International David Hammond, addresses the issue of seafarers’ vulnerability to sexual violence in an industry where offenders go unpunished. He emphasises the importance of addressing lack of justice and action.
“There can be no dark corners and hiding places that allow impunity to flourish due to a lack of preventative awareness, education or training, or avoidance of immediate intervention when incidents occur.”
To learn more about the ongoing conversation…
Watch the below video, courtesy of Yachting International Radio. Marién Sarriera (from Yachts Mermaids) speaks with David Hammond, a former Royal Marine officer and the founder of Human Rights at Sea International.
Taking Precautions
Below is a comprehensive list of useful contacts you can make.
A vital resource to read through is: Personal safety precautions for job-seeking yacht crew.
ISWAN worked with partners across the yachting industry to produce this resource to guide and support all crew to increase their awareness of the potential risks associated with job-hunting in the yachting industry. The resource aims to empower crew by providing the guidance and tools necessary to make informed, aware, boundaried and safe decisions about your next role. Download it and read through.
Important contacts
Nautilus International
If you are a maritime professional, they are the specialist trade union and professional organisation. However, to receive aid in case of an incident, you must first have a membership. If an incident occurs at sea and affects you, if you do not have a membership before the incident occurred, they will be unable to give you the support they offer.
Seas The Mind
SEAS THE MIND is dedicated to creating mentally healthy and resilient crew and seafarers through Mental Health First Aid training.
ISWAN
ISWAN is a network of international organisations and companies committed to improving the welfare of seafarers. The contact details and live chat for their 24/7 helpline are available at www.yachtcrewhelp.org
Here’s what they’ve been up to recently, as of 2024.
PYA
The Voice of professional yacht crew worldwide.
Women Offshore
Propels women+ into meaningful careers through access to a worldwide community and professional development resources, while raising awareness amongst industry leaders and decision makers about issues affecting women on the water.
Safer Waves
Supporting merchant seafarers who have experienced sexual violence, sexual harassment or gender discrimination.
The Crew Coach
Offers counselling for when yacht crew members are struggling with anything from bullying to sexual assault to burnout. Private, solutions-focused therapy.
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