We understand that feeling safe and respected at work is crucial for everyone in maritime. Your employer is legally obliged to create a positive work environment free from bullying harassment or victimisation (BHDV). They should also have a written grievance procedure in place for all employees.
Our mission is to enhance maritime safety by providing an independent confidential reporting function, where you can voice safety or security concerns related to your work. We recognise that one-off or repeated instances of BHDV can significantly impact a person’s well-being, performance, mental health, stress and even the overall company culture. These factors in turn can pose safety risks.
Our team collects BHDV statistics to identify how common these issues are and what possible effects they have on maritime safety. We are, however, unable to investigate individual cases, nor assist with cases that involve industrial relations, terms and conditions of employment, or personality-based conflicts. In such cases, we can signpost reporters to other independent charitable organisations who are better placed to assist in such matters.
- Reporting BHDV
If someone’s behaviour is making things difficult for you at work, we understand it can be tough to know what to do. You should first directly voice your concerns to your employer as many organisations have clear BHDV policies that outline the reporting procedure.
Even without a formal policy your employer still has a legal responsibility to ensure your safety at work. For any reason, if you feel uncomfortable reporting your concerns to your organisation, but it has a specific safety-related focus, you can report a BHDV concern to CHIRP by using the link below.
CLICK HERE to report a BHDV concern
Reports to CHIRP are always confidential. We never share any personal identifiable details you provide when reporting an incident to us. Any learnings we share from your reports with the industry are made completely anonymous and untraceable. Our reporting process requires you to input a personal email address to receive a personalised link to the CHIRP reporting system. You will then be invited to complete relevant elements of a reporting questionnaire to record your concerns. All reports are treated in absolute confidence so that reporters’ identities are protected – we never pass personal information to any other organisation.
Because CHIRP has no remit or ability to investigate specific reports of BHDV you should only expect to receive an acknowledgement of report receipt.
- BHDV Definitions
Bullying and harassment behaviours may be against one or more people and may involve single or repeated incidents across a wide spectrum of behaviour, ranging from extreme forms of intimidation, such as physical violence, to more subtle forms such as ignoring someone. It can occur without witnesses, in face-to-face interactions, as well as online. The bullying might be a regular pattern of behaviour or a one-off incident that happens face-to-face, on social media, in emails or in phone calls.
Bullying falls under four main categories, Psychological, Verbal, Physical and Cyberbullying, and its effects can have far-reaching consequences. Anyone can be bullied, but it usually involves individuals or groups with more power, bullying someone with less. The person who is being bullied can feel humiliated, threatened or upset, and it can become a pattern of behaviour. Workplace bullying can happen at work or at work social events and may not always be obvious or noticed by others.
Examples include:
- Unwanted physical contact.
- Unwelcome remarks about a person’s age, dress, appearance, race or marital status, jokes at personal expense, offensive language, gossip, slander, sectarian songs and letters.
- Posters, graffiti, obscene gestures, flags, bunting and emblems.
- Isolation or non-cooperation and exclusion from social activities.
- Coercion for sexual favours.
- Pressure to participate in political/religious groups.
- Personal intrusion from pestering, spying and stalking.
- Failure to safeguard confidential information
- Shouting and bawling.
- Setting impossible deadlines.
- Persistent unwarranted criticism.
- Personal insults.
The terms bullying and harassment are often used interchangeably. However, in the UK Equality Act 2010, harassment has a specific meaning: ‘unwanted conduct related to a relevant protected characteristic, which has the purpose or effect of violating an individual’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual’.
Below are some broad descriptions to help you in your selection of the right category;
Bullying – Bullying is unwanted behaviour from a person or group that makes you feel uncomfortable; frightened; intimidated; offended; insulted; less respected or put down; made fun of; or upset. By definition, if the unwanted behaviour involves any of the protected characteristics of age; pregnancy and maternity; disability; gender reassignment or identity; marriage and civil partnership; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual orientation then it is not bullying but is harassment (see below).
Harassment – By definition, harassment is when bullying or other unwanted behaviour involves, or is because of, any of the protected characteristics of age; pregnancy and maternity; disability; gender reassignment or identity; marriage and civil partnership; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual orientation. For it to count as harassment, the unwanted behaviour must have either violated the person’s dignity (whether it was intended or not), or have created an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for the person (whether it was intended or not).
Discrimination – by law, being discriminated against is when you’re treated unfairly because you have, are perceived to have, or are associated with someone who has any of the protected characteristics of age; pregnancy and maternity; disability; gender reassignment or identity; marriage and civil partnership; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual orientation. It can be against the law for anyone to treat you unfairly because of any of these reasons.
Victimisation – Victimisation is a sub-set of discrimination and involves being treated unfairly because you made or supported a complaint to do with discrimination, harassment or a protected characteristic, or someone thinks you did.
If you would like to learn more about global legislation and guidance on BHDV, visit the IMO website.
- BHDV Support
Internal support from your organisation
The level of internal support for BHDV claims will vary from employer to employer but may include:
- Internal Procedures, including grievance, bullying and harassment
- Manager(s)
- Human resources
- Trade unions
- Employee forums/networks
- Employee assistance programmes
- Occupational health
- Any other support an employer offers, such as mental health first aiders
External support outside of your organisation
External support available to all includes:
- ISWAN
- Human Rights at Sea International
- Stella Maris
- Legal support, such as an employment solicitor