Sexual assault?

[Gob]

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.

http://www.ourlittlechatterboxes.com/20 ... sault.html

[loCAtek]

Is TSA Security Patdown Sexual Molestation? New TSA Search is Far More Physical Than Previous Airport Security Checks

[Gob]

Personally I'd rather have my goolies groped by a butch dyke in uniform, than have the guy next to me explode a bomb in his underwear...

[Sean]

But what if it's Jeremy Spake?

[Gob]

Not so nice...

[Sean]

[oldr_n_wsr]

Full cavity search is next.

[Miles]

If God had intended us to fly he would have made our bones as hollow as our heads.

[Guinevere]

I'd like to see the TSA actually demonstrate (1) that there is some cognizable threat, and (2) these measures will actually assist in reducing that threat, before I give up more of my privacy rights and civil liberties. The searches sound pretty damn invasive and personal, and I'm not looking forward to my next flight.

[loCAtek]

Not that I agree with him;



TSA To Congress: "Pat-Down Would Have Caught Underwear Bomber"

[oldr_n_wsr]

Would patting down have caught the Underwear Bomber?" Pistole said simply, "Yes." When Sen. Burris pressed further about the "depth" of a TSA-approved pat-down, citing the diaper-like setup of the Underwear Bomber's weapon, Pistole seemed to continue to give short answers.

Of course he's going to say "yes".

How about sending 100 people with diapers through and see how many are "picked out"? Of those 100 put some with the liquid the underwear bomber brought through and still others have just plain piss and/or shit in their diapers.

We are not talking about highly trained police/swat/fbi people. We are talking about lower middle class workers grabbing peoples crotches and guessing if they have a liquid bomb in their diapers or a box cutter up their ass. (nothing against the workers but I can't see where this a high paying, high qualification job. Complete the training, pass the mental test and you're in).

You have a bunch of freekin beaurcrats who have both feet firmly planted in the air and have no clue of the real world. All they know is "more rules and regulations" will fix it. After full scans or full pat down (I am looking forward to my first hand job in an airport) we'll have full body cavity searches (I'm going to take Ex-Lax right before that one). then it will be flying naked and everyone can see how "shrinkage" works when they turn on the AC.

Ben Franklin where are you?

[Jarlaxle]

This is not and never has been security. It is feel-good security theatre, full of sound and fury, accomplishing NOTHING.

Yet another reason I will never fly commercially under any circumstances short of in a coffin in the cargo area (in which case, I won't gove a damn about security, being dead).

[Crackpot]

THen they'll just defile your corpse looking for bombs.

[BoSoxGal]

I am set to travel by air next February to attend a National District Attorneys Association training in South Carolina.

I'm disgusted by the thought that I would possibly be asked to submit to such an 'enhanced' patdown. I'm equally frustrated that I might be asked to submit my body to backscatter radiation from a full body scan, when for serious health reasons I've already had to undergo two CAT scans this year. My own surgeon isn't comfortable with me getting another anytime soon, and I'm guessing he knows a thing or two about the risks of exposure to repeated xray.

Has our country gone nuts? They aren't doing this in Europe, where terrorism has been a mainstay for several decades. WTF?

[Scooter]

I commented in an earlier thread about how I deal with pat down searches. I heard a quote today, used in a different context, that is just as applicable in this situation:

If you truly own who you are, no one can use you against you.

NO ONE has the right to intentionally humiliate you by groping you inappropriately in a public place. And this woman's reaction is exactly what they want, that you will be so shocked by how inappropriately they are conducting themselves that you are paralyzed into inaction, rather than grabbing hold of one of their lascivious hands and twisting it right off. So don't let them use your own body against you. Make THEM pay the price of embarrassment for their sexual assault by making lewd comments about the way they are touching you. Push your body HARD into their hands to let them know you have nothing to be ashamed of. Offer to be strup searched and begin unbuttoning your clothing then and there.

If enough people attempt to beat them at their own game, they soon won't want to play anymore.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Push your body HARD into their hands to let them know you have nothing to be ashamed of.

OH YEAH BABY!!!!

Not a bad way of dealing with it though.

[BoSoxGal]

Interesting advice, Scooter.

The gentleman in San Diego who declared, "touch my junk and I'll have you arrested" was threatened with a lawsuit and a fine of $10,000. I suspect the matter is still pending?

I haven't got that kind of spare cash laying around. Your mileage may vary.

I feel pretty powerless at the prospect of flying this winter. And very frustrated that I even have to contemplate such possibilities.

[Gob]

I prefer Stephen Fry's advice..


Just say to them; "Oh don't do that, it'll give me such an erection..."

[Jarlaxle]

I am set to travel by air next February to attend a National District Attorneys Association training in South Carolina.

I suggest driving. You can make the run in 2 days.

I'm disgusted by the thought that I would possibly be asked to submit to such an 'enhanced' patdown. I'm equally frustrated that I might be asked to submit my body to backscatter radiation from a full body scan, when for serious health reasons I've already had to undergo two CAT scans this year. My own surgeon isn't comfortable with me getting another anytime soon, and I'm guessing he knows a thing or two about the risks of exposure to repeated xray.

Has our country gone nuts? They aren't doing this in Europe, where terrorism has been a mainstay for several decades. WTF?

Yes. The security should be modeled on what is used at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel...it's much less intrusive and much more effective. This is done without X-rays or sexual molestation.

[loCAtek]

Now to make funny of it all is;

Humorist Dave Barry And His TSA Pat-Down


ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Well, now to someone whose junk was recently touched: humorist Dave Barry.

MELISSA BLOCK, host:

Last week, he went through a TSA full-body scanner. What the screeners saw, they did not like.

And Dave Barry, you have discovered that you are suffering from a rare disorder. What exactly is that disorder?

Mr. DAVE BARRY (Humorist): They told me I have a blurred groin.

BLOCK: A blurred groin?

Mr. BARRY: Yeah. I was in that machine - like a phone-booth thing, where they make you hold your arms up. And then it sends a scan of your naked body to -they claim - a TSA person in another room. But it could be to Bangladesh to hacker - you don't know where.

BLOCK: But word came back you have a blurred groin. Did you know what -

Mr. BARRY: Yeah. They were letting everyone else go. Everyone else had a nice, sharp groin, I guess. But when I went through, they pulled me aside and put me in this - kind of like little pen. And after like - I don't know - three or four minutes of standing there, I asked one of them: Why am I here? And he said, you have a blurred groin. And I went, what? Because you hate to find this out at the airport.

BLOCK: Yeah, you would want to know.

Mr. BARRY: And I had just had a physical - I mean, literally, two weeks earlier -which was pretty thorough, if you know what I'm saying. So I'm standing there, you know, after another few minutes. And then another man came over and said: You have to come with me - to this little room. And he gave my boarding pass to another guy. And as we're going to the room he said, your groin was blurred. And so...

BLOCK: You said, I know. I know.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BLOCK: So what happened?

Mr. BARRY: So right now, like - everybody in Miami knows I've got a blurred groin.

BLOCK: Well, what happened next?

Mr. BARRY: Well, they take you in this little room. And it's an unpleasant little room. The man is putting on the blue gloves. He's telling me how he's going to touch me. And he makes a big point about when he's going to be using the front of his hand, and when he's going to be using the back of his hand.

And I'm thinking, I don't really care. Like, it's not like if I'm going to have a guy touching me, I'm going to look down and go, oh, it's okay; it's the back of his hand - you know what I mean?

(Soundbite of laughter)

Mr. BARRY: And then while I was in there, the other guy with the boarding pass came in. And he says, oh, I'm a - you're Dave Barry. I'm a big fan. And so I had this kind of surreal conversation with one guy telling me what a big fan he is, how much, you know, he likes my - and the other guy is groping me.

BLOCK: We asked TSA for some response to what happened. And they sent us some general information about the pat-downs. One, they're not punitive. They say it just makes good security sense.

Mr. BARRY: Well, I would say whoever wrote that it's not punitive was not having his or her groin fondled at the time.

BLOCK: But they do point out, look, you know, we remember the would-be Christmas Day bomber last year with explosives in his underwear. They say if there's an anomaly - and I guess you were an anomaly - if it's detected during screening, you're going to get a pat-down.

Mr. BARRY: I, you know, I'm not going to argue that it's totally unnecessary. I'm not going to say that. I do think - and this is not an original observation - you see a lot of - I do - a lot of elderly ladies being pulled aside for one issue or another. And I suppose terrorists could use an elderly lady to attack a plane. I just don't think they ever have. It just seems like it'd make more sense to focus your efforts on things that are more likely to actually happen.

BLOCK: Did you have a conversation with your wife after this, Dave - like, honey, you know, I have something I have to tell you?

Mr. BARRY: Yeah, I got on the phone right away. And I called my wife, because they say you should share that with your partner.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BLOCK: And her reaction was?

Mr. BARRY: She thought it was pretty funny. How do I put this? My wife doesn't have any complaints about my groin - that I know of.

(Soundbite of laughter)

BLOCK: Well, Dave Barry, safe travels.

Mr. BARRY: All right. Thank you. I'm feeling much safer now, knowing that they're not going to let me on there without checking me.

BLOCK: Humorist Dave Barry's blog is called Dave Barry's Blog.

Copyright © 2010 National Public Radio®.

ThX Dave, ~We are not worthy~