The former cadet whose shocking account of being raped at sea sparked demands for cultural change within shipping has called for tougher enforcement action after being told her alleged attacker continues to work on vessels.

Hope Hicks, who detailed her ordeal in a widely shared blog post in 2021 under the name of Midshipman X, said it was “sickening” that the man had reportedly been able to work at sea while under investigation by the US authorities.