# A (US) merchant navy cadet is suing Maersk, saying the company failed to protect her from rape and sexual harassment on board one of its ships



## kewl dude (Jun 1, 2008)

https://www.yahoo.com/news/merchant-navy-cadet-suing-maersk-211137902.html








US Flag Fleet – Maersk Line, Limited







parkhya.org





US Flag MV Alliance Fairfax

ALLIANCE FAIRFAX 2013
HOEGH KYOTO 2008
MAERSK WILLOW 2005


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

Cadets
This post does no one any favours? I have read the tag lines/web pages associated with this issue and I comment as below.
What I fail to understand is the position of the USM-Navy Academy, and the alleged shipping company flag state?
The alledged cadet-femail- was posted alone to a ship for training?
My questions are?;-
1/- What rank as a cadet officer/ petty officer or crew member and in what department, Deck/Engine room/ Communications/catering or for a cruise ship position dealing with passengers? It is not clear as to why she was appointed to that particular ship, and what her seagoing experience was to be about?
2/- What was the flag state of the vessel?
3/- What was the flag state of the alleged shipping company
a/ ownership
b/ management company
4/- Was the voyage to and from, and return to a US PORT?
5/- did the cadet have solo accommodation and private toilet/ washing facilities? On board that particular vessel?
6/- What is the age of the cadet ? [Considered an adult and free to make their own decision {18 or 21? Or are there US state requirements for the definition of an adult- legally speaking?]
From my own experience in life in the shipping industry, sailing under the ‘RED ENSIGN’, starting as an engineer cadet, I find this report worrying, in all respects.
I was as a youngster aware, and again as a cadet from the UK that the fishing ports/ deep sea ports repair ports, one had to be aware of the different social behaviour and standards that existed within these ports, and while one enjoyed that occasional run ashore within these areas and metaphorically dipped ‘ones toe in the water’ one had to remember the words of ‘MUMMY’ and friends, you should not take your girlfriend/Partner or wife into such delightful places, unless you both understand by what life’s principles you may wish to live by.
As my apprenticeship turned into se time I was 20/21 years old and most of my sea-time then was NW Europe to the Persian Gulf and back. All these ports gave me an insight into life, and my senior officers, guided me on my off watch, and ashore time most carefully as a guardian, allowing me to enjoy the surroundings note the moral activities that were going on, and safely guide me back to the shio. Here I was stuck by the ports of Italy, Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Scandanavia. The morals for a happy future family life, in the catholic countries was evident if one wished to lead a married life!
As one went further north in Europe the inter marriage relationships became subtle and all though they require as always love, they can be complex to my Christian upbringing beliefs,
AS a young man and as an adventure at sea, it opened my eyes and ears, and required me to become less dogmatic, and more understanding of people and their beliefs.
Conclusion
As I say this story of the USM Navy cadet does no favours to anyone?
The Modern ship my fly a state flag, be owned by a consortium or foreign owners, or and run by a management company under a different flag state to which the ship/vessel is registered in.
There again with modern shipping, who are the officers-mixed nationalities/languages, the petty officers mixed nationalities, and various first languages or the crew from various world nations, speaking in local patwaa and foreign tongues’ Here I am not talking about the UN international language of communication, but ones mother tounge.
This begs me to ask the question, apart from the technical training for the modern cadet of any sea going nation, is their appropriate education and information given to show them, how the world ticks especially in the trading ports/docks of this shipping industry?
One last question was the voyage out of a home port for 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years without home leave? All these issues have a point to make, on one self and ones shipmates with respect to behaviour, and personal relationships???
end


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## gordonarfur (May 27, 2018)

Typical yank, probably could,nt hack it and decided to bail out with a few bob from the owners.


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## LuLu Land (9 mo ago)

gordonarfur said:


> Typical yank, probably could,nt hack it and decided to bail out with a few bob from the owners.


now now - you were not on board. bail out with a few bob <- typical british. you sure about bob, could it be John?


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## Brownegaz52 (Apr 19, 2020)

gordonarfur said:


> Typical yank, probably could,nt hack it and decided to bail out with a few bob from the owners.


That’s a harsh assumption from someone who wasn’t there


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## gordonarfur (May 27, 2018)

Brownegaz52 said:


> That’s a harsh assumption from someone who wasn’t there


Harsh but probably true. Remember that there are more lawyers in the US than in the rest of the world. Comprez?


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## djringjr (Feb 11, 2008)

The article is here:


https://www.yahoo.com/news/merchant-navy-cadet-suing-maersk-211137902.html



If what she says is true, it's shameful.

Regards,


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

Captainconfusio certainly got me confused. Don't think all that stuff about flags and whatnot really matters - you're not supposed to root anyone who doesn't want to be rooted. 

John T


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

Wait a minute, the USM-Navy Acadamy Trainee cadet, has a belief all will be well in their career, and that the ACADMY for the training will be safe and well managed. The responsibility in my opinion lies with the ACADAMY, to ensure nothing untoward happens to thier young trainee, however naive they may be. A seagoing career was in my day an experience of life, and were one signed apprenticeship papers, and or a company contract, the responsibility morally lay with the senior company shore based and sea going staff. ON this occassion this was not the case? I allegedly believe? IT is a dreadful event, and I hope all persons and authorities are taking precautions, so it is not repeated.


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

trotterdotpom said:


> Captainconfusio certainly got me confused. Don't think all that stuff about flags and whatnot really matters - you're not supposed to root anyone who doesn't want to be rooted.
> 
> John T
> see post 9 response to earlier comments


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## Malgray2 (Jan 22, 2012)

Wish I could sue the bugger who raped while I was in my bunk on board in Matadi so many years ago.


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## YM-Mundrabilla (Mar 29, 2008)

As a landlubber, can I ask what are the general rules about drinking alcohol/being drunk at sea even if off watch?
Has she contributed (to what is an inexcusable offence in any circu mstances) by being drunk?
There is, perhaps, a similar case going on here in Oz where some drunken female parliamentary employee was raped in Parliament House in Canberra.
I am not condoning these offences in any way but surely everyone is responsible to some degree for their own welfare/safety.


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## gordonarfur (May 27, 2018)

trotterdotpom said:


> Captainconfusio certainly got me confused. Don't think all that stuff about flags and whatnot really matters - you're not supposed to root anyone who doesn't want to be rooted.
> 
> John T


she may have got rooters regret?


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## trotterdotpom (Apr 29, 2005)

gordonarfur said:


> she may have got rooters regret?


Always possible, either way, in the current climate, the cards are stacked in her favour.

John T


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## Peter Hewson (Mar 12, 2019)

Maybe the root of the issue, is how we bring up our children in this "liberated" world?. Have we lost the line beween dicipline and cruelty?, such that we back off the discipline too far?, and as result our children have little or no self-discipline?. Putting aside the issue of rape per`se. Had this "senior officer" had the self dscipline, he would not ever have comitted such a crime. Morality would have made him a protector, not a predator. There will always be truly "evil" men, and women, but much of what happens in to-days world, can be laid at the door of an overall lack of moral discipline, in my veiw. The ladies of this world deserve to feel safe. But one only has to see our high streets at weekend, to reailise just how often they send out the "wrong" signals?. On a lighter note, My wife remarked only recently in conversation with our neighbour, "If the guys on the building site didn`t whistle, you wondered what was wrong with you"!, now it`s a crime!.

Pete


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## OzBoz (Dec 9, 2008)

trotterdotpom said:


> Captainconfusio certainly got me confused. Don't think all that stuff about flags and whatnot really matters - you're not supposed to root anyone who doesn't want to be rooted.
> 
> John T


I agree John. Didn't understand half of it, and the other half was irrelevant.


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## captainconfusion (Aug 13, 2020)

the world of shipping is worldwide, and flag state on a worldwide basis- Even some landlocked states have registered shipping, on a worldwide basis. Then one comes to the money and owners, and the crews, and the management companies, and IMO? What is the requirements on any ship to have a common mother tongue, and moral beliefs.
Here one may drift and dream of the various ports of the world and ''thier fleashpots of entertainment''. WE all are seamen, and maybe have all had the experience of a flag state shipping line, or maybe that odd voyage on a ship sailing under a flag of convienience'' While you mutter away and chew the cud, remember you may be a father, or family man, and what would be your advice to ones sons or daughters, who may wish to have a career at sea, for that shipping company/line/flag state that your were not born too????
Remember no one is a saint, we are all men/women of the world I trust?


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## DontheDiver (Apr 4, 2016)

captainconfusion said:


> Cadets
> This post does no one any favours? I have read the tag lines/web pages associated with this issue and I comment as below.
> What I fail to understand is the position of the USM-Navy Academy, and the alleged shipping company flag state?
> The alledged cadet-femail- was posted alone to a ship for training?
> ...


First rate post, well said.


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## JohnSmith100 (Dec 8, 2015)

My last vessels, we began having females coming through the ranks as being an older ships most of the crew had master keys, however I had a few locks not connected to the system and subsequently changed the locks to give them peace of mind which allayed all fears, but I was reminded that Harass was two words?


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## johnmw1 (Mar 2, 2007)

Here is her open letter..........................
I Was Raped Aboard A Maersk Ship — M.L.A.A.


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## wayneofearl (11 mo ago)

Regardless, unconsented sexual activity by an individual is rape, its time that some others realised this. If what this lady alleges is true it must be taken very seriously and stamped out, this kind of behaviour really disgusts me.


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## sternchallis (Nov 15, 2015)

Why was there only one female aboard?
We didn't have female cadets when I was at sea, but we did have officers wives and there was never a time when there was only one wife on board, I think th company arranged/ suggested to other senior officers to bring their wives such that there was always two.
I also note that there was cabin drinking, no officers smokeroom/ bar. I understand US ships are dry, but when they went ashore they went crazy with the booze, which seemed to have happened here. That number of shorts in an hour or even a night could not be good for you and especially if you hardly drunk.
In the British MN, you might have a beer when you came off watch with your opposite number from the bridge. In port there maybe parties with the Nurses etc a Duty Mate and Engineer staying reasonably sober, but it sounded like all the Engineers were well and truly drunk from her description.
Let us hope this 1st Engineer gets his come uppance from the courts and the young lady gets over the horrible experience and can continue her career and there are no medical complications down the line.
I suppose the trouble with the mixed bag of owners, flag states etc, nobody is taking responsibility or thinking these things through, unlike days of old when the shipping company Fleet Personnel Dept with perhaps a lady in there would catch these sort of things.


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