Maersk has reached a settlement in a rape case against a 19-year-old
The container giant Maersk admitted this summer that they have extensive problems with harassment at sea – and especially against female employees.
Last year, five officers and crew members were suspended and later fired after Hope Hicks, then a 19-year-old cadet, was raped on a ship. The assault must have happened in 2019, and Hicks wrote an anonymous blog post about the incident which set the ball rolling at Maersk.
In the end, Hicks decided to come forward with her full name “to prevent other sailors from having to endure the same horror she experienced”.
Anyone about settlement
Maersk and Hicks have now reached a settlement, writes company in a message. The details of the settlement are not known.
The case is thus closed, but Maersk has put measures in place to overcome the harassment.
– We want to be absolutely clear that the events Hicks describes are unacceptable. Regardless of who and where you are, those who work with us must ensure and protect the working environment, says William Woodhour, CEO of Maersk Line, Limited.
– A lot of work remains
According to Bloomberg the female employees are reached in skips in groups of three to four women, so that no one is left alone. Mærsk must also have interviewed all its 350 female employees to map the problem and inform about notification routines. They must also set up a hotline that women at sea can call.
– It is important to me that my case has led to greater awareness of the issue of sexual assault and harassment at sea. There is still a lot of work to be done in the maritime industry, says Hicks in the statement.
Maersk operates over 700 vessels and has around 83,000 employees worldwide per 2020. The company’s head offices are located in Copenhagen.