TSA-Sexual Assault (read what the "mommy blogger" had to endure)

Our Little Chatterboxes Blog ^ | 11/16/10 | Erin

[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.

[Albion Wilde]

This stuff has been happening for the past 500 years. Here's what Geoffrey Chaucer had to say in the Summoner's Tale from The Canterbury Tales, an entire book about the fates of travelers on a pilgrimage:

"Ah," thought the friar, "this shall go with me!"
And down he thrust his hand right to the cleft,
In hope that he should find there some good gift.
And when the sick man felt the friar here
Groping about his hole and all his rear,
Into his hand he let the friar a fart.
There is no stallion drawing loaded cart
That might have let a fart of such a sound.
The friar leaped up as with wild lion's bound:
"Ah, treacherous churl," he cried, "by God's own bones,
I'll see that he who scorns me thus atones;
You'll suffer for this fart- I'll find a way!"

[Girlene]

oh the absolute horror !!! they touched her privy parts? how about you people getting some perspective. this is mass hysteria. I’m sick and tired of it..

Then why are you posting here?

Would you let your child be sexually molested like this woman? Is it okay for TSA to touch their privy parts?

[silverleaf]

I am waiting for Manpolitano, Moochelle obama and her mother and both her daughters, and a gaggle of female congresscritters (I choose Nan Pelosi and her daughters and grandkids, Harry Reid's wife, Maxine Waters, Shelia Jackson Lee, Babs Boxer and Mommy Patty Murray for starters) to publicly go through this at an airport in front of a national TV crew

Just to back up Manpolitano’s line that there is no invasion of privacy

[SZonian]

Dude, you’re going to get flamed and rightfully so.

If your “perspective” prevents you from recognizing that the gov’t is overreaching here, then I can’t help you.

Unreasonable SEARCH and seizure. Looking for bad THINGS and accosting people, including children in the process vs. looking for bad PEOPLE is what’s wrong with this.

The whole TSA thing is ass backwards.

It’s PC run amok, not mass hysteria. People have a right to expect their rights to be protected, not violated under the premise that we are all presumed to be guilty.

[Rutles4Ever]

The perspective is that the pat-down is totally obsolete anyway, since terrorists have already proven they will hide explosives inside their vagina (Chechnya) or their anal cavity (Saudi Arabia). Neither the stripper-scans or the full-frontal-Federal-fondle will discover those.

Furthermore, unles we start fondling all the cargo that comes into this country, these measures will stop no one who really wants to take down a plane. At this point, only a fraction gets scanned, and it took a Yemeni informant to stop the attacks two weeks ago.

[sam_paine]

chuzzlewit's post: oh the absolute horror !!! they touched her privy parts? this is mass hysteria. I’m sick and tired of it.. Drudge is a strange dude, seems to have a hang up in this area..

chuzzlewit's about page: "I am 56 years old, single, and a father of 2 daughters. I work as a business analyst at a local southern California HMO."

Chuzzlewit wouldn't mind one bit for a bull-dyke TSA agent to do the same to his two daughters while he watched. He wouldn't even mind if you did it, steve86 because it is only a hangup for drudge. lol.

[Boardwalk]

All this mass touching of private parts....do they change gloves every time?? What if you get some type of sexually transmitted disease or even bedbugs?

[Albion Wilde]

What were they going to find by touching her there? Seriously. I’d like somebody to answer me. What did that search accomplish, even if she HAD been warned that it was going to happen?

You have to wonder what they would do if they encountered a young teenager, say, 13, wearing a sanitary napkin. I shudder to think. Make her take it off? Test the liquids? Clearly, they are getting off on selected individuals. You cannot tell me that revenge racism does not play a part.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

"Can we have a drink first?".....

[bvw]

I am thinking of reporting your post to Children’s Protective Services for the sake of your two daughters. You have no problem touching their private parts either, do I have that right?

[MizSterious]

You’re sick. Seek help. Anyone who can’t understand why this woman felt violated is either obtuse, or someone who enjoys reading about these molestations.

[Babu]

Bahhhhhhhhh

[madison10]

I’m sick and tired of you after reading one comment.

Ditto.

[butterdezillion]

Exactly. They’re breaking the Constitution so they can claim they’re dong something even though they know what they’re doing is ineffective and they refuse to do what WOULD be effective.

When you look at the DOJ suing AZ to make sure that anybody who wants can waltz across our border with whatever WMD’s they want - and be protected from even having their paperwork demanded when arrested - this is literally straining out gnats while swallowing a camel. As would be the policy of allowing Muslim women to “pat-down” themselves just on the neck and head, and act as if that was enough.

This is not about safety. This makes us LESS safe.

[Girlene]

All this mass touching of private parts....do they change gloves every time??

From reports I've seen, no.....only when asked.

[Rightly Biased]

4th ammendment of the US constitution. Ever heard of it?

They grope you today they take your children tomorrow.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Worth repeating...

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.”

[ShadowAce]

I’m sick and tired of it..

I, too, am absolutely sick and tired--and horrified--that people are actually standing up for their 4th Amendment rights.

Lynch 'em all!!!!

[Rightly Biased]

Did they meet on Craigslist?

[steve86]

I saw his profile page and shook my head.

I have two daughters also. The one who is a Young Marine will not be going on her DC trip next year, that is for sure, especially since I wouldn’t be present. I didn’t want her to go while the usurper was “in office” anyway.

This whole thing is a pretense to inject RFID chips into “pre-approved” travelers.