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Building a safe and inclusive culture at sea
Last year, women seafarers were more than three times as likely to contact our helplines about an issue of abuse, bullying, harassment, discrimination or violence than men, and more than twice as likely as men to report a mental health issue.
Our ‘Safe at sea…it takes all of us!’ campaign aims to raise awareness of the personal safety challenges that women face in the shipping, cruise and superyacht industries. The campaign focuses on the importance of allyship and the role that men seafarers can play in making life at sea safer for all.
This campaign is co-funded by The Seafarers’ Charity and UK P&I Club.
What is allyship, and how can you be an ally to your crewmates on board? Our campaign video explains what you need to know…
Want to know more? Download How to be an ally: A guide for seafarers to find out more about the benefits of allyship for you, for others and for your vessel, and learn what you can do to be an ally.
You can also support our campaign and spread the word on social media using the hashtags #CrewAllySHIP and #WeAllBelong. Sign up to our campaign mailing list here for updates on how you can get involved.
Building a culture of allyship where seafarers support each other and work together respectfully benefits everyone in the maritime sector.
So how can maritime stakeholders – including employers, trade unions, welfare organisations and training institutions – promote allyship and help to build a safe, equitable and inclusive sector?
We have produced a resource with information and guidance on the actions that maritime sector stakeholders can take – download it here: How to be an ally: A guide for maritime stakeholders.
You can also support our campaign and spread the word on social media using the hashtags #CrewAllySHIP and #WeAllBelong. Sign up to our campaign mailing list here for updates on how you can get involved.
Many women seafarers have shared with us the challenges that they have faced at sea and the impact on their health and wellbeing:
‘The Mate the other day said he couldn’t give me hard jobs or make me work long hours because I was a woman…and that I should do typing and look after the plants. So frustrating.’
‘I would try to hide my gender, to wear men’s clothes and avoid clothes that were too fitted on my body. That was my way of trying to avoid abuse and unwanted attention.’
‘I have faced racism, misogyny, harassment, and threats more times than I can count, from both superiors and colleagues. While I often managed to counteract these behaviours, it was exhausting and soul-draining to always remain vigilant and alert when my primary focus should have been on my work.’
Seafarers have also shared their experiences of good allyship and examples of what men seafarers can do to make life at sea safer for all:
‘A first officer I worked with built trust by being observant and curious. He created a safe environment for the female crew to talk to him about any onboard issues.’
‘Men seafarers should be actively listening to their colleagues about the challenges women face in maritime careers. We have to pay attention to the experiences and concerns without interrupting or dismissing their perspectives, so we can create a safe space for open dialogue.’
Thank you to all the seafarers and former seafarers who shared their thoughts and experiences, and to the seafarer photographers from the ITF Seafarers’ Trust Life at Sea 2023 photo competition who allowed us to use their photos and stories.
This campaign has been built on the voices and lived experiences of seafarers themselves. Would you like to join them? Please send us your tips, advice and stories on how seafarers can be better allies on board – e-mail us at [email protected].
If you would like to talk to someone, support is always available, wherever you are in the world.
ISWAN’s SeafarerHelp: www.iswan.org.uk/seafarerhelp
A free, confidential, multilingual helpline providing emotional, wellbeing and practical support to seafarers and their families of any nationality. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
ISWAN’s YachtCrewHelp: www.iswan.org.uk/yachtcrewhelp
A free, confidential, multilingual helpline providing emotional, wellbeing and practical support to yacht crew and their families of any nationality. The service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Other support services: DOWNLOAD HERE
This list of international support services and resources is intended to be an evolving source of information for whoever may need it. If you know of any support services from regions around the world which should be added to this list, please let us know at [email protected].
If you would like to talk to us about this campaign and how you can get involved, please contact us at [email protected].
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