A recently launched article issued by the Institute of Development Studies shares a story of a group of women seafarers from the Philippines, shedding light on instances of sexual harassment in the maritime industry.
It is stated that Filipinos make up the biggest portion of the estimated 1.6 million seafarers worldwide.
Although the shipping industry in the Phillipines has been traditionally male-oriented, women began entering the sector in the 1990’s as academies opened their doors to female cadets.
The article highlights that according to Filipino women seafarers, their entry in the shipping sector wasn’t easy.
Many have reported experiencing various forms of sexual harassment from their male colleagues and senior officers, and to make matters worse,
women seafarers who have fallen victim to sexual harassment and assault have been faced hurdles in filing complaints, leaving their aggressor mostly unpunished.
In 2017, there were estimated to be more than 17,000 female seafarers, making up 3.8 percent of the total total 449,000 working at sea that year.
In light of sexual harassment incidents, Attempts to introduce an industry-wide anti-sexual harassment policy occurred in 2016 when the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and International Transport Workers’ Federation (ICS and ITF 2016) issued Guidance on Eliminating Shipboard Harassment and Bullying.
Explore more in the report herebelow
