Unspoken
Stories of sexual misconduct at sea
Unspoken aims to develop a global framework for preventing and responding to unwanted sexual behaviour at sea. By sharing your story anonymously, you help break the silence and contribute to solutions that can make life at sea safer for everyone.
Why Unspoken exists
A 2025 report found that 80% of seafarers had experienced or witnessed a sexual offense at sea within the last five years alone. Despite this, the maritime industry still does not have a common framework for preventing and responding to these behaviours.
Many people who experience sexual misconduct at sea stay silent. Not because they want to, but because speaking up can feel difficult or unsafe. Unspoken exists as a safe space for seafarers to share their experiences of sexual misconduct at sea.
This website is not a helpline, whistleblowing tool, or reporting channel. If you ever need support, there are organisations that can help here.
We treat your story with care and respect
Sharing an experience like this can be difficult. If you choose to share your story here, thank you for trusting us with it.
Stories shared through Unspoken are only read by a small team. We carefully review each story and remove any details that could identify people, vessels, or organisations. Your privacy and safety are our priority.
We are not here to investigate your story or judge what happened. You are sharing something very personal, and if reading or sharing feels difficult at any point, you can find organisations that can help here.
Our process
One of the best ways to understand a problem is by listening to the people who have lived through it. Here is how Unspoken works:
Collecting stories
Through this anonymous, secure platform, seafarers can share their personal stories and experiences and get access to support resources if needed.
Developing the framework
The All Aboard Alliance will use the anonymous stories to develop a framework for maritime companies to be able to identify, prevent, and respond to sexual misconduct at sea.
Driving change
Alongside our community, we will promote use of the framework across the maritime value chain to ensure widespread uptake.
Common questions
If your question is not answered in the following section, please feel free to write to us at unspoken@globalmaritimeforum.org.
Our partners
Unspoken is a collaborative effort supported by organisations across the maritime community who are committed to improving safety at sea.
This first phase has been made possible through a grant from The Seafarers’ Charity. SAFETY4SEA supports the project as a media partner, helping share the initiative with the wider industry. Additional partners contribute expertise, safeguarding guidance, and sector knowledge throughout the project. We are grateful for their support as this work continues to develop.
Seafarers´ Charity
The Seafarers’ Charity is a UK-based grant-making charity that supports projects and organisations working to improve the safety, wellbeing, and quality of life of seafarers and their families worldwide.
Mission to Seafarers
The Mission to Seafarers is an international maritime welfare charity providing practical, emotional, and spiritual support to merchant seafarers through a global network of port centres, chaplains, and volunteers.
Safer Waves
Safer Waves is a charity supporting merchant seafarers who have experienced sexual harassment, assault, or gender-based violence at sea, providing confidential, survivor-led support and guidance.
ISWAN
ISWAN is a global maritime charity dedicated to improving the lives of seafarers and their families through helplines, welfare programmes, and industry collaboration.
Sailors' Society
Sailors’ Society is here for seafarers and their families 24/7. A global maritime welfare charity with an easily accessible helpline, female helpline, crisis and trauma support, as well as confidential Peer-to-Peer Support Groups. Support is available wherever and whenever it is needed, even out at sea, and lasts as long as the need is there.
TURTLE
TURTLE is the leading marketplace for fair, diverse and transparent recruitment in the maritime sector, connecting seafarers and shipping companies, ensuring compliance with the MLC 2006. They enable data-driven recruitment, being traceable at all times.
SAFETY4SEA
SAFETY4SEA is a leading sustainable shipping media and knowledge platform. For more than 15 years, it has delivered trusted industry insights through its website safety4sea.com, surveys, email communications, video, and social media. It also publishes the SAFETY4SEA Log and SEAFiT magazines and tailored publications, distributing approximately 100,000 copies annually onboard and ashore. SAFETY4SEA further organizes the Crew Welfare Week Forums & Awards and the SAFETY4SEA, GREEN4SEA, SMART4SEA & CAREER4SEA Forums & Awards worldwide.
Women in Fisheries
UK Women in Fisheries is a network for all women who work in UK fishing, including those in the catching sector, vessel owners, fleet managers, fishmongers, processors, fishing conservationists, charity workers, trainers or partners of commercial fishermen. WIF supports women through networking, mentoring, events and training.