Piracy fears trigger illness

Even indirect exposure can cause health issues.

Piracy fears trigger illness and hurt recruitment

Girija Shettar

Seafarers are suffering health problems and turning down work because of fears of piracy and armed robbery, even if they have not experienced violence first-hand, a study has found.

Further, they are likely to have more worries than those who have actually been attacked.

A study by Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) in partnership with the Maritime Piracy Humanitarian Response Programme and Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines suggests “indirect exposure” to violent incidents can cause health problems similar to those of seafarers who have been held hostage or attacked. Most commonly among these are post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and serious depression.

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Source: ihsmaritime360.com