Around a hundred NorthLink passengers have shared traumatic experiences in support of calls for improvements to the lifeline ferry service.
Shetland's SNP candidate Hannah Mary Goodlad issued a request on Sunday for folk to contact her with personal stories to share at the party's conference in Aberdeen next week.
Ms Goodlad will present a motion on Monday calling for the introduction of cabin and vehicle quotas for islanders and to scrap peak fares for locals.
She will be using the stories to make the motion more "personal, relatable and impactful".
Speaking to The Shetland Times on Tuesday, Ms Goodlad said she had already received around 100 messages highlighting concerns about the lack of suitable sleeping spaces posing safety concerns, especially for women travellers.
Ms Goodlad said she had been "shocked" by the number of responses and the concerning trends they revealed.
Most of the stories have been shared by women, with many highlighting traumatic experiences of being unable to get a cabin, "sleeping rough" on the floor in public areas where they experienced "drunk and sometimes violent and aggressive behaviour".
"All these stories shared with me have been the result of aggressive male behaviour. And highlights to me that cabin availability is a safety issue - especially for women" " Ms Goodlad said.
"Many lone female travellers feel unsafe sleeping on the floor while being pestered or harassed by fellow travellers."
The election candidate said she had also received comments from people travelling with neurodivergent children, some of whom struggled with service disruptions and the sensory overload of being in busy public areas.
Others, travelling for work, said they found the inability to get a good night's sleep to be a safety concern, particularly if they had to drive long distances upon arrival in Aberdeen, or to work shifts in potentially hazardous environments.
Ms Goodlad has thanked everyone who shared their stories.
"This is a really critical motion to get passed, it's my number one priority that I've been pushing for to get it over the line, and these stories will really help to make it all the more personal and relatable," she said.
"So I'm incredibly grateful to all the folk who responded in such depth, it will make all the difference when I present this motion on Monday."
While the stories shared have highlighted serious concerns, Ms Goodlad stressed she was not blaming NorthLink Ferries or its staff.
"I cannot fault them," she said.
"They have a really great crew and the staff all try their absolute best for the passengers.
"[Managing director] Stuart Garrett operates a really open and hands on style of management and that is to be commended."
However, she also said it was essential that islanders received a better deal from the lifeline ferry service.
While out on the campaign trail, she said concerns with the current provision had been raised with her "time and time again".
Ms Goodlad said she had been focussing on three areas - opening bookings earlier, reducing costs, and addressing capacity concerns.
After securing a visit from First Minister John Swinney in August, Ms Goodlad said she was pleased he had listened and was able to open up bookings for 2026.
She said her focus was now on addressing the other two areas of concern, which her motion was hoped to achieve on Monday.
By reserving a "local quota" of cabin and vehicle spaces for islanders, Ms Goodlad hopes to address the capacity constraints affecting travellers in peak periods.
And she believes scrapping peak fares for islanders is essential.
"We should not be paying peak fares for a lifeline service," she said.
"These are not luxury cruises, this is essential travel, often for work or hospital visits," she added.
Ms Goodlad's motion, backed by minister for agriculture and connectivity Jim Fairlie, will be discussed on the first day of the conference.
Anyone who would like to share their stories ahead of the conference on Monday, can contact Ms Goodlad via Facebook Messenger, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 07557 104163.