It goes without saying that ensuring all crew on board is safe is just as important as keeping the owners, clients and guests safe. Yacht crew are put in small living conditions with complete strangers, not truly knowing who the person they are sleeping next to is. Employers who do not pre-screen crew members before they step on board unknowingly put people in potentially risky/dangerous positions. This week’s blog is about a series of unfortunate events that could’ve been prevented if employers had conducted a simple background check. For the sake of the individuals involved, we have kept their identities anonymous.
In 2019, a man in the yachting industry from the US pleaded guilty to harassment charges for sharing private pictures of his former partner. The 28-year-old was convicted and pleaded guilty to two class 1 misdemeanours in the United States. The judge ordered the man to serve concurrent 60-day jail sentences for the sustained harassment of an ex-romantic partner, with credit for 24 days served. The man was also made to serve three years of probation and undergo mandatory mental health and domestic violence evaluations and treatment.
According to sources, in 2022, the American man’s probation is finally over; however, his wicked ways continue. A woman came forward, stating that the same man violently abused her friend, and the abuse got so out of hand that he broke her friend’s ribs alongside other dreadful things. The poor woman went to the police, but at present, the only thing that was accomplished was setting out a restraining order on the man.
An anonymous source told us that she happened to interview the man, unaware of his violent past, but was very put off by his rude and confrontational attitude. Setting aside the man’s unpleasantness, the agent attempted to give the guy the benefit of the doubt, and asked to see his documentation and references. However, the man provided a pathological excuse regarding why he couldn’t provide any governmental documentation and could only provide the agent with one mediocre work reference. By this point, the agent’s growing discomfort, distaste for the man’s character and too many red flags caused her to dismiss the man entirely. Little did she know that this man was the infamous abuser and that placing him would not only dampen the agency’s reputation but potentially cause more scary situations for the crew onboard.
Many crew agencies and vessels have been made aware of the man’s real identity. Meanwhile, many industry professionals and agents even stated that they had blacklisted this man from being placed on board. The case is still ongoing, and new disturbing stories/experiences with the man seem to be coming to light.
However, since this story has been made common knowledge, we have seen an increased demand for pre-screening yacht crew. Many agree that the most recent situation onboard could’ve been avoided if background checks were an industry standard worldwide. Ensuring that all crew have undergone comprehensive criminal record checks, global sanction checks, ID verification and even certificate authenticity checks, many threats and dangers onboard could’ve dodged. A straightforward background check can protect crew members from serious threats and save agents from potentially damaging their own reputations. If you wish to learn more about our services please click this link: https://www.crewpass.co.uk/home-page-background-checks/