Posted on 11/18/2010 8:45:47 AM PST by skyman
TSA - Sexual Assault
I have an incident to share that occurred late Friday afternoon, November 12, 2010, around 5:15 in the Dayton International Airport.
I realize the publishing this publically on the internet puts me into a delicate situation, given that I am a high profile blogger and author. This is a difficult incident to share, but it needs to be said...Because I will not be a silent victim. I will share the facts of the incident in as a matter of fact manner as I can.
I checked into my flight and had a boarding pass printed that included “plus infant.” My baby and I were flying from Dayton, OH, to San Antonio, TX, so I could run in the San Antonio Half Marathon. I was taking my baby along because he is still breastfeeding for part of the day.
I entered the security line, removed the special formula that I had with me for the baby, as well as my quart size baggie with my other liquids. I went through the x-ray machine and metal detector, carrying the baby, with no incident.
Because I was traveling with baby formula, I knew to expect that they would test it with the paper circles for explosives. The TSA agent took all of my belongings over to the table in the center of the explosive screening tables. She asked me, “Are you aware of the NEW policies for carrying liquids through security that were instated 4 years ago?” (capitalized to show the emphasis that she placed on that word.)
I replied, “Yes, I fly with him every several weeks.”
She scanned the formula, then turned to me and said, “Remove your shoes and stand on that black mat for a patdown.”
I said, “OK, what do I do with the baby?”
“You cannot be holding him.” (I am traveling alone.)
So I placed him into his stroller. She instructed me, “Spread your feet apart and hold your arms out to the side.” I obliged.
She patted my left arm, my right arm, my upper back and my lower back. She then said, “I need to reach in and feel along the inside of your waistband.”
She felt along my waistline, moved behind me, then proceeded to feel both of my buttocks. She reached from behind in the middle of my buttocks towards my vagina area.
She did not tell me that she was going to touch my buttocks, or reach forward to my vagina area.
She then moved in front of my and touched the top and underneath portions of both of my breasts.
She did not tell me that she was going to touch my breasts.
She then felt around my waist. She then moved to the bottoms of my legs.
She then felt my inner thighs and my vagina area, touching both of my labia.
She did not tell me that she was going to touch my vagina area or my labia.
She then told me that I could put my shoes on and I asked if I could pick up the baby, she replied Yes.
She then moved back to my belongings to finish scanning them with the paper discs for explosives. When she finished she said I was free to go.
I stood there holding my baby in shock. I did not move for almost a minute.
I stood there, an American citizen, a mom traveling with a baby with special needs formula, sexually assaulted by a government official. I began shaking and felt completely violated, abused and assaulted by the TSA agent. I shook for several hours, and woke up the next day shaking.
Here is why I was sexually assaulted. She never told me the new body search policy. She never told me that she was going to touch my private parts. She never told me when or where she was going to touch me. She did not inform me that a private screening was available. She did not inform me of my rights that were a part of these new enhanced patdown procedures.
When I booked my ticket, I was given no information that the TSA had changed their wand and unintrusive patdown procedures to “enhanced” patdown procedures that involved the touching of all parts of your body, including breasts and vagina on women and testicles and penis on men. I was not informed by any signs on the front side of security about the new procedures. I had not seen any media coverage about the issue, so I had no idea that this was a new government sanctioned policy.
Another important piece in this story, the Dayton airport does not have the new body scanners. I was not given any other search options. It was enhanced patdown, or nothing. (And I would have opted for the body scanner, if I were going to be subject to a sexual assault.)
I asked to speak to a supervisor immediately. I had a very unpleasant conversation with him that lasted 20 minutes. I moved to the back of the security area, made a few phone calls, including to my lawyer. He did some quick research, and learned that I had indeed been sexually assaulted because she did not follow the SOP (standard operating procedure) for the new search.
During our first conversation, the TSA acting manager of the shift told me that the TSA agent who sexually assaulted me was supposed to inform me about the new search procedure and tell me when and where she was going to touch me. He also apologized on behalf of himself and on behalf of the agent who sexually assaulted me. I was not allowed to speak to the agent who sexually assaulted me, nor did the acting manager provide me with her name. (I did not have the presence of mind to look at her nameplate, as I was in shock.)
I also spoke with the Dayton police, the Dayton airport police, and left a message for the TSA manager for the Dayton airport. I intend to request the TSA to arrange for counseling services to be provided to me, so I can deal with the aftermath of the sexual assault that took place, caused by the specific touching actions and failure to inform me of the policies by the TSA agent.
I am speaking out against the TSA and share my sexual assault case to ensure that this does not happen to anyone else, anywhere.
I will not be a silent victim of sexual assault by a TSA agent. Total Sexual Assault.
I am calling for immediate change to this new enhanced body patdown search.
I am calling for the TSA agent who sexually assaulted me to be fired.
I am calling for you, a fellow American, to stand up against these new enhanced full body patdown search procedures of the TSA.
Please note: I do plan on flying back to Ohio on Monday, because it will take me too long to drive home from Texas. I do not however intend to fly again until this search policy of sexual molestation is revoked by the TSA.
I will leave you with this thought: “It is acceptable and encouraged that a TSA government official can do something to an American citizen that US military personnel cannot do to a member of the Taliban.”
*UPDATE: Thank you all for the links and information about where and with whom I can share this. I am continuing to take action. Please feel free to leave other helpful information you find. I will be turning on comment moderation for the remainder of the day.
**UPDATE #2: I am in no way trying to belittle the experiences of sexual assault experienced by others. I hurt and ache for others who have been sexually assaulted.
**UPDATE #3: If you are interested in me sharing my story on your radio or news program, please email tsasexualassault (at) gmail.
Assalt with a chemical agent.
My thoughts exactly. I am not a criminal-minded person but even I can think up ways to easily get past these measures, and unless they were willing to literally take apart my body they would not be able to know whether I was a terrorist laden with WMD’s or just a normal person.
Another thought that came to me was that if I was going to fly I would wear a sanitary napkin just as a barrier to this kind of touching. Sort of like football pads. Somebody else mentioned a jockstrap with an athletic cup. What would they do?
I read a very funny account of a guy who put an active vibrator in his pants to test what would happen. The TSA ended up wiping the outside of the vibrator so they could test for chemicals on the outside plastic. The author noted that they could not have known if the vibrator had explosives packed INSIDE it.
He said he would be willing to go naked if terrorists started filling vibrators with explosives. But I say it wouldn’t make any difference if we WERE naked. They knew he had a device, and without taking the thing apart and inspecting it in detail they couldn’t know whether it was safe or not. But they let him on the plane anyway.
After all that search they STILL didn’t know whether there were dangerous explosives, but they let the guy on the plane. What was gained by that whole procedure? Nothing.
Airport searches while administrative, are subject to the “reasonableness” requirement of the 4th Amendment.
There are far more effective and less invasive ways to protect people on planes. For example, there is no reason for the scanners to show the skin surface of the body.
An xray view would show whether a bomb or device is being carried inside the body, while this machine does not. In other words, they could do a better screening without getting a full on naked look at you.
When feasible alternatives to such invasiveness are available I think the 4th Amendment is triggered.
I personally don't mind quite as much for myself (though it is objectionable). But I don't want my wife or two small kids subjected to this.
I think we should use the Israeli method and quit playing politics with safety.
While I share her outrage, I wonder for whom she voted on November 4, 2008...
“This whole thing is a pretense to inject RFID chips into “pre-approved” travelers.”
Hmmm, I hadn’t heard that one, but is certainly a possibility with this bunch in the White Hut.
I have also come across the idea that this is about restricting movement of US citizens. What better way than to make travel so repugnant that we voluntarily will restrict our movements.
But something is up if the coming lawsuits don’t resolve this, and soon. If this goes on too long, and TSA isn’t slapped down, the airlines may not have time to recover.
Here's some perspective for you...
TSA Worker Arrested for Rape of 14 Year Old
Maybe you'd like your daughters subjected to the ministrations of such as he.
You keep saying that, despite all the evidence to the contrary. Can you document you claim?
My teen daughter had on a baggy hoody sweatshirt and was victim of a patdown back in late 2008 for an overseas flight.
I was the one who insisted she wear the sweatshirt, so my daughter glared at me while being patted down. I felt horrible.
We have not flown since, nor do we plan to.
We have to get the government out of the airport security business.
I don’t agree with Chizzlewit’s comments but the majority of you that started attacking him/her on a personal level should be ashamed of yourselves.
I think we’re better than that. If you’re not going to respectfully disagree and provide a counterpoint then don’t respond at all.
Yeah, I got into a real funk yesterday realizing that might not be far away...
She felt along my waistline, moved behind me, then proceeded to feel both of my buttocks. She reached from behind in the middle of my buttocks towards my vagina area.
She then moved in front of my and touched the top and underneath portions of both of my breasts.
She then felt my inner thighs and my vagina area, touching both of my labia.
TSA gets PAID to do that?
That generally costs me two or three dinners AND a willing partner.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/tsa-now-putting-hands-down-fliers-pants.html
Oh yes they are accoding to this video and article.
Can you document yours other than what someone says on their blog?? It's on the internet so it must be true.
Again I'm totally against these pat downs but there is a bunch of being made up and internet rumors are running wild.
The TSA is not going in and actually touching anyones vagina or penis (glove to skin).
Kind of like many are voluntarily revealing every movement of their lives on social networks.
They no longer have to dig. We tell them everything they need to know.
So why do they need to see and touch us?
I guess if they check our postings here, us freepers would not be allowed to fly.
That’s so disgusting! *vomiting*
One of the last times I flew, years ago now, I felt violated enough having the racist WITHOUT gloves, pawing through my small makeup bag. The horror, I had forgotten I had (NON-LIQUID) mascara in there, and she acted like it was a bomb, opening it up, sniffing it, passing it around. I was so disgusted by her paws, I threw out all the stuff afterwards. And fumigated my purse when I got home.
I’d like to think that if, heaven forbid, I *had* to fly now, I would start yelling the second they started molesting me. But it’s hard to know how you’ll react and I understand this poor woman being in shock.
One guy said they reached in his underpants and touched all his private parts directly on the skin.
And did you see the story about the TSA people who pulled down a 23-year-old woman’s shirt so her breasts were totally exposed to the public - and then laughed and joked about it for a long time afterwards? This while there is such an outcry and they know the issue is being discussed.
Makes me wonder if this isn’t just an outright attempt to get us to revolt, or to see how far we will bend over for them before revolting. Or maybe an attempt to run the airlines out of business. I don’t know. But it smells to high heaven, and it’s totally useless for security purposes.
I’m wondering if it’s CYA for the upcoming terrorist attack that dem strategists have said would raise Obama’s approval numbers.
What next? Body cavity searches? Interment camps? Have the same process for going across state lines? This is the begin of a police state. If they can get us use to this type of treatment, they will be able to do anything to us. Might as well let the terrorist have at it right now. At least with them we can fight back. With the government it is lose, lose situation.
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