In the wake of the maritime ‘me-too’ movement started by ‘Midshipman X’ –later identified as Hope Hicks – who, in an online post, alleged sexual assault aboard a Maersk vessel last year, another victim has come forward.
Vanessa Treminio has lodged a complaint against maritime logistics company Crowley over their lack of action when she reported that she had been raped by a fellow worker.
According to a report in online portal gCaptain, Treminio’s complaint alleges that in 2017 she was sexually assaulted at Crowley’s San Salvador offices by her new supervisor, co-defendant Juan Emilio Blanco, who had previously been accused by multiple women of workplace sexual harassment and sexual assault.
She has revealed in her complaint that when she immediately reported the sexual assault to Crowley human resources, she was told to stay silent and informed that she would still need to travel to Jacksonville, Florida on a business trip with the supervisor, or face termination.
She says that on that business trip the supervisor fraudulently gained access to her room and forcibly raped her.
Treminio alleges that the company attempted to muzzle all efforts to expose the incident, and that she was eventually fired on grounds of poor work performance and offered a sum of $600 to sign a confidentiality agreement – which she refused to do.
A federal judge in Florida has ruled that a sex trafficking and forced labour lawsuit against Jacksonville-based Crowley can proceed.
In a statement released to gCaptain, Crowly said that while it took allegations of sexual assault seriously, and especially the disturbing ones in this case, “we will vigorously defend ourselves against the lawsuit asserting that Crowley engaged in sex and labour trafficking as false and without merit”.
Blanco faces three counts of sex trafficking, sexual battery and false imprisonment. His motion to dismiss was denied in full.
Treminio is being represented by maritime attorney Adria Notari, a graduate of the US Merchant Marine Academy, and Ryan Melogy of Maritime Legal Solutions, who also represented Hope Hicks.
* This story has since been updated, after David DeCamp, director of Corporate Communications at Crowley, brought the following to our attention:
"Understanding your coverage role, we appreciate Freight News’ inclusion of our response in this story: Maritime logistics company charged following sexual harassment allegation | Freight News
However, we kindly ask that you correct and change the inaccurate headline, which uses 'charged' in a way that legally is incorrect and places the company in a false light.
The story states: “A federal judge in Florida has ruled that a sex trafficking and forced labour lawsuit against Jacksonville-based Crowley can proceed.”
For your background, this case is a civil matter of pending litigation, and no entity or person has been 'charged.'”
Freight News regrets the error and has made the necessary changes to the headline, and this report, to reflect the legalistic accuracy of this matter.
