West Coast Groundfish Observer Program Manual, Part2 - NOAA

CHAPTER 8
2. Don’t fight fire with fire. Observers should
behave professionally at all times. Make sure
that verbal and non-verbal body language
exhibit a clear message to the harasser to stop.
3. Document all harassment incidents from the
very beginning. Even if you are unsure at first if
you are experiencing harassment, record the
details. They may provide you with the full
story if the situation escalates. In the logbook,
describe the situation, including who, what,
where and when. Detail the attempts made to
end the harassment and the response that was
received.
4. If the problem continues, report it to the
skipper. Tell the skipper the full story, explain
that it is affecting your work, and request that he
take steps to end the problem. Most skippers
do not want trouble on the boat. If the skipper
is informed that trouble is brewing, he should
take appropriate action. Document any further
incidents and the skipper’s actions.
5. If the harassment is not taken care of by the
skipper, or if there is a problem with the
skipper, report the offense to a coordinator and
your contractor at the first opportunity. If there
is no resolution, the coordinator will make
arrangements for you to leave the vessel.
8-16 1/30/2004