Still rough times at sea
Women and minority groups are still particularly exposed to bullying and harassment at sea. This fact is confirmed in a survey conducted out by Cecilia Österman and Magnus Boström of the Kalmar Maritime Academy of Linnaeus University. More than half of all women seafarers state that they have experienced such treatment.
Working at sea is a masculine-coded profession with a strong culture that values practical experience. Work on board is characterised to a large extent by insecure employment, high workloads, and at times contradictive requirements to work both efficiently and safely. It is a breeding ground for work environment problems that increase the risk of bullying and harassment at the workplace.
“One of the reasons why the maritime industry is particularly at risk of workplace bullying and harassment is the fuzzy boundary between work and private life on ships,” Österman explains.
The article shows that not much has happened since the first study on the topic in 1995. Today, the number of people being bullied and harassed at sea varies between 8% to 25% of all seafarers and over 50% of all women seafarers. (sh)
www.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104910