Historical Note
The Women’s Maritime Association (WMA) formed in 1980 as a support
network for seafaring women. The WMA’s mission is “to support and encourage
women’s activity in their maritime occupations and in their respective maritime
unions and to take whatever steps necessary to insure women’s right to work,
free of harassment.”* Although based in Seattle, Washington, WMA members hail
from across the United States as well as several other countries. The WMA
represents and supports women who work on fishing boats, processors, tankers,
tugs, research boats, deep sea merchant ships, ferries, Navy and Coast Guard
ships.*
Since its inception, the Women’s Maritime Association has sought to
promote strong community among women engaged in traditionally male-dominated
maritime work, while advocating for fair working conditions, knowledge of
health and safety issues and, especially, an end to sexual harassment and
discrimination on vessels. With the enactment of the Sexual Abuse Act in 1986,
vessel captains were required to report allegations of sexual abuse and
harassment to the US Coast Guard. WMA has continued to advocate for stronger
legislation to eliminate problems of sexual harassment and abuse at sea. In
1988, the Congressional General Accounting Office (GAO) undertook a two-year
study to examine the problems experienced by women working on the high seas.
The Women’s Maritime Association urged members who had experienced harassment
at sea to write about their experiences and submit those testimonies. The GAO
study resulted in two official reports to Congress titled “Coast Guard:
Information Needed to Assess the Extent of Sexual Assaults on Ships” and
"TUNA/PORPOISE OBSERVER PROGRAM: More Needs to Be Done to Identify and Report
Harassment of Observers.” The reports urged the Coast Guard to take action in
monitoring harassment onboard ships, and to provide more effective training and
better reporting procedure to combat sexual assault.
* Source: Women's Maritime Association website,
www.womensmaritimeassoc.com.
Content Description
The Women’s Maritime Association (WMA) records consist of
administrative and legal records, newsletters, and clippings which span the
dates 1980-1999. The records document the concerns and activities of this
Seattle-based organization, established in 1980 to protect the rights and
safety of women working in the maritime industries.
Administrative records span the period 1980-1999, and include
correspondence between the WMA and affiliated organizations regarding public
relations and outreach work. The records also contain membership materials,
historical information, materials from the WMA Texas Chapter, and information
on affiliated organizations.
Legal records span the dates 1988-1992 and document the WMA's work to
strengthen legislation protecting women in the workplace. The records reflect
the WMA's mission to eradicate sexual harassment and abuse on ships, and to
ensure equal pay and fair working conditions for seafaring women. The materials
include the General Accounting Office's 1988 report to Congress regarding
sexual harassment at sea.
Newsletters date from 1980-1999 and represent the official publication
of the WMA. Newspaper clippings date from the 1980s to the 1990s and document
WMA activities, members, and issues related to women in non-traditional jobs
and sexual harassment in the workplace. There are also a number of articles
about sexual harassment and rape cases on ships throughout the world.
Reference materials consist of publications about WMA activities and
some of its members. They also document important issues such as sexual
harassment, fair working conditions, and networking and community-building
among women in non-traditional jobs.