Posted on 11/24/2010 4:55:55 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
As the outcry grows against the new security screenings at US airports, one population may face a special burden at TSA checkpoints: victims of rape or sexual assault who are now confronted with a procedure that they feel explicitly strips them of control over their bodies.
The experience “can be extremely re-traumatizing to someone who has already experienced an invasion of their privacy and their body,” says Amy Menna, a counselor and professor at the University of South Florida who has a decade’s experience researching and treating rape survivors.
Nationwide, an estimated 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape, according to a consensus of figures compiled by the Department of Justice, FBI, and Centers for Disease control. About a quarter of a million people each year report a sexual assault.
Dr. Menna recommends that people know their rights so that they can avoid the sense of powerlessness when going through a security check.
-Snip-
While most passengers report no problems with the scans, the pat-downs have received thousands of complaints. Even John Pistole, the TSA administrator, acknowledged in last week’s Senate hearings that when he received one, he found it “more invasive than I’m used to.”
“Any type of violation of physical boundaries can set back a rape survivor in their treatment, in their therapy, in their recovery,” says Menna.
“There’s a lack of sensitivity to individuals’ emotional states when undergoing this public violation,” she adds, citing the dismissive brusqueness of the procedure.
Many passengers don't know – and aren’t informed – that they have the right to a private screening, or to have another person present at that private screening.
“Know your rights,” Menna says, “and make sure they are not violated.”
(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...
Janet the Scannit... are you listening ???
From the article...
“I would recommend survivors request a private screening with at least two people present,” says Menna. “It can be empowering to ask for your needs to be met, and to ask for your privacy to be respected. It allows you to establish a measure of control over the situation.”
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, advises survivors who need help or support to access the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE or access the online hotline at online.rainn.org.
Menna asks, “Is there an alternate solution to an invasive procedure that can be re-traumatizing?”
PING
In that case, I’d say choose the scanner. And pay attention to what you carry which could trigger scrutiny. It’s that simple.
How much are we going to take???
“Many passengers don’t know – and aren’t informed – that they have the right to a private screening, or to have another person present at that private screening.
“Know your rights,” Menna says, “and make sure they are not violated.”
I know my rights.
US Constitution Bill of Rights
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
I’m a 53 year old Caucasian Lutheran female. I don’t fit any terrorist profile. It is unreasonable to search my body for bombs and weapons. Nothing about me would cause any law enforcement officer to have reasonable suspicion that I am smuggling bombs or weapons on my body.
It’s not that simple, the body scan is threatening to some people for the same reasons as the pat-downs, as given in the article and comments. The people who are threatened by this are not rare birds with peculiar psychology, there are as many as one in five adults who have been subjected to some kind of childhood sexual abuse or exploitation.
To those people, the threat is intimidating. Why should citizens, convicted of no crime be subjected to this punishment, psychological stress, and intimidation by their government? Shouldn’t the methods at least be proven, or at least agreed by all the best experts to be the only way?
But it is not the only way, it is rather what the government prefers to actually identifying likely terrorists and making them prove themselves before boarding.
That trade-off would never gain popular support, but our government is not interested in popular support. What they want from the public is something else entirely.
“How much are we going to take???”
The problem is that we take quite a lot when it comes to maintaining convenience. There were predictions of a massive protest this holiday where passengers would refuse the scanners and cause long lines and terrible delays, but nothing of the sort happened at all. In general, people are not willing to sacrifice their comforts to make a point. If the majority of travelers really want to assert their dislike of TSA tactics, then they should not fly! Visit Aunt June by train or drive . It is inconvenient, of course, but if the majority of people did it, then you will see changes. However, it will never happen. People today are too used to luxury; particularly those who can afford to fly.
I’m a 53 year old Caucasian Lutheran female. I don’t fit any terrorist profile. It is unreasonable to search my body for bombs and weapons. Nothing about me would cause any law enforcement officer to have reasonable suspicion that I am smuggling bombs or weapons on my body.
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But But But
I’m suppose to feel safer because the TSA sexually assaulted you...
If this occurred one hundred feet away from the TSA station, it would be considered sexual assault.
The cheerleading of the Left FOR this, when for the years 2001 to 2009 every single baby step taken to create real security was blasted by the Left as an affront to civil liberties.
Is the silence of the ACLU not deafening in the face of a REAL abridgement of our Constitutional rights and the wanton sexual abuse being visited upon innocent citizens?
Nah, this is just ginned up fake outrage meant to hurt obama. At least according to Tingly Legs Mathews and the LSM...
You are absolutely right, it’s good to see more and more people becoming informed as to what the US Constitution (in regards to the 4th Amendment especially) actually says.
It’s an illegal search, period. And what about us Christians who believe that our bodies are NOT to be defiled, nor our children’s, grandchildren’s, wife’s, on and on. I’ve said it many times, if I were to witness some goon groping my family (grown kids, grandchildren, any of them) there would be a problem but my family has “opted out” of flying altogether.
I realize that many don’t have that option, that’s why pushback is necessary, whether by lawsuit, protests, whatever. Liberty requires tough choices, sometimes leading to very unpleasant results but our forefathers knew this. It’s a huge responsibility.
“a procedure that they feel explicitly strips them of control over their bodies”
Yeah, no one wants this. NO ONE.
You are 100% correct. Airport patdowns and x-rays are unreasonable searches of law-abiding citizens.
What makes it even worse is that they are often performed by employees who are a lot more deserving of scrutiny than the passengers they are searching.
I’m hearing that the screeners are complaining too, now.
It’s going to be a mere matter of time before we hear of TSA agents who have quit in disgust, saying that they themselves never envisioned groping groins when they hired on to a job that they thought meant manning metal detectors, wanding passengers (at the most), and looking at X-rays of carry on bags.
2nd
a job that they thought meant manning metal detectors, wanding passengers (at the most), and looking at X-rays of carry on bags.
_________________________________________
Americans who booked their flights months ago thought their Thanksgiving trips would only include “metal detectors, (being) wanded (at the most), and X-rays of (their) carry on bags.”
I wonder how many asked the airlines to refund their tickets under the circumstance ???
Would this be an unusual occurance where the passenger was not at fault or responsible etc ???
If I had bought a ticket back say in April to travel from Atlanta to New York for the Thanksgiving Day Parade with my young granddaughters 6 and 8 as I did in 2008...
I would not have travelled Wednesday as I did then...
None of us get wanded but thats the worst that would have happened..and I was ready for it...
In fact my grandchildren were allowed to keep their water bottles...(They had milk in them at the time)
but if I had planned to travel this week I would have risked losing the money if the airline had not reimbursed me...
Why would I subject my grandchildren and myself to such abuse ???
however the airlines reimbursed everyone after 9/11 so they might now...
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