“A man cannot say that a lady goes too far. Then he will be ridiculed,” writes someone who wishes to remain anonymous. He is one of six men who, in a survey carried out by news, answered that he had been subjected to sexual harassment at work. About a year ago, #metoo came to the fishing industry in Norway. Several women came forward and told about unwanted sexual attention. Now some men also tell of similar experiences on fishing boats. Experienced it more than ten times The survey was sent out to fishermen in collaboration with the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, the Norwegian Coastal Fishermen’s Association and Hun fisker. 319 people responded, 40 women and 277 men. 37.5 per cent of the women and 2.2 per cent of the men answered that they had been exposed to unwanted sexual attention. The survey is not representative, but gives a picture of the situation for some. A man says that he has a female colleague who does not understand where the intimate zone goes, and who tends to stare him and the other male colleagues up and down. – It feels uncomfortable, but is in a way a gray area. She is allowed to look where she wants, but I and others find it uncomfortable. He and his colleagues have solved it by moving away from the woman, and they have given notice that they do not want physical contact from her. Fishermen are defined in the survey as professionals who work with fishing and catching. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news A third of the exposed men say that he has experienced what he defines as sexual harassment more than ten times. news said on Tuesday that 80 per cent of those who answered that they had been subjected to sexual harassment did not report the incident. Neither does he. The harassment has consisted of comments, physical contact and non-verbal expressions. He still works as a fisherman. Alice Roseth Helleberg is head of the organization Hun fisker. Photo: Private – Worse to report as a man Alice Roseth Helleberg is the head of the organization Hun Fisker, which was founded when the fishing industry got its metoo settlement. She believes there is not enough focus on men who are sexually harassed in the industry. – I think the threshold for speaking out as a man, and especially in this profession, is much higher. It is very high for women, but I think it is much higher for men. She believes it is taboo to speak out about sexual harassment for men. – You see that in the whole of society, not just in the fishing industry. In all places where there have been problems with discrimination or sexual harassment, it has mostly been women who have come forward. And then it has turned out that there are also men who are similarly exposed, says Helleberg. Secretary General of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, believes that safe workplaces must be created at sea. Photo: JOSEF BENONI NESS TVEIT / news Can be a dark figure Secretary General of the Norwegian Fishermen’s Association, Sverre Johansen, is concerned that it should be just as good to speak up and address problems regardless of gender. – This is another expression of cultural problems. It is perhaps more challenging for men to speak up than for women, but the problem is just as serious anyway, he says. He believes that a culture must be created to be able to speak up – and that the industry needs a change of attitude. – We are aware that it is a male-dominated industry. Then men can also be subjected to harassment. We have that with us, because it’s about creating safe workplaces at sea, says Johansen. – Do you think there has been a separate #metoo settlement for men in the industry? – I do not want to speculate on that. But there may be hidden figures here that have not come to light, believes the general secretary. Fisheries and Oceans Minister Bjørnar Skjæran believes that sexual harassment is something that should not be experienced in Norwegian working life. Photo: INGEBORG GRINDHEIM SLINDE / news Must stand up for each other Fisheries Minister Bjørnar Skjæran (Ap) believes that no one should be ridiculed for reporting. – Everyone should speak up when something is not right. And the most important thing is to stand up for others, regardless of gender, says Skjæran. He acknowledges that sexual harassment in the profession damages the reputation, and must be cleaned up. – We try to focus on men as well. Sexual harassment is one of the government’s most important issues right now. We just have to put an end to this. Photo: Hanne Wilhelms / news
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Men exposed to sexual harassment in the fishing industry – news Troms and Finnmark
