News Change The Tsa?

[KrazyKat]

"Scoped or groped" --or even both-- at US airports, is a bad choice that Susie Castillo described in her video. People that can't handle it or are plain offended at the loss of US Constitutional rights and personal dignity--now choose to travel another way.

But air travel isn't just a luxury, for some it is necessary for work, or to see family or visit places you can't get to another way. So air travel is not always a choice.

Here's my story: I was sexually assaulted at knifepoint by a stranger who broke into my home when I was seventeen years old. This is what I believe got triggered through my TSA "pat-up": a coercive setting, non-consensual sexual contact by a stranger, and actual penetration of my body by the hand--all present when I was attacked as a girl. But in March it was by an on-duty agent of the US Federal government.

I think there's more to security than passengers and carry-on bags. I also don't think there's any good reason to put pressure on children, people with all sorts of infirmities, and create psychological stress

Let me know what you think. There's a poll for fun.:geek:

 

[sea]

Going to have to go with logic on this one. While TSA approaches are not necessarily warm and fuzzy I do think they are required and part of the reason why air travel is as safe as it is now. That being said I nearly punched a TSA officer for patting down my son due to his clothes going off the metal detector. So can definitely understand the triggers there. You may not think there is a good reason to put pressure on certain groups of people, but those are generally the gaps in most security systems to begin with. You don't need to focus on children, or old people, or sick people, because they aren't threats, etc. Then you end up with plans that incorporate solely those groups of people, and you see a shitstorm break loose.

However I'm not sure what you are describing here is what is legally allowed by the TSA organization, (they aren't allowed to perform bodily cavity searches, it's a pat-down. Unless you look like you swallowed a bomb or something?) unless you were seriously f*cking suspicious? It sounds more like they did assault you, rather than perform a standard procedure, unless again you were really suspicious or I am interpreting your words wrong.

Either way can definitely understand the issue here. It is an invasion of privacy. To be honest it bothers me on a personal level, especially as it is a position that can easily be abused, and I could not see myself handling it well at all personally anyhow but in terms of the actual argument for the system I say there is a very substantial and credible one. If people want to be safe, they need to be willing to adapt to that policy. This is a case where I suppose you cannot have your cake and eat it as well, and that is what most Americans want today is to be satisfied in every possible area, whereas in terms of security versus privacy it simply is unfeasible.

I consider it a more important right that people can fly safely from one destination to another without getting blown up than I do the personal right for people not to touch me. As with every system there are flaws, there will always be flaws, there will always be abuses, there will always be discomfort, but considering the U.S air system is one of the most advanced networks in the world and that the U.S is often seriously targeted either domestically or internationally I would hope there is some sort of equally as impressive security system backing those odds, especially since people just become smarter and smarter every day.

Do I think TSA is the greatest security system ever? No. Do I like it? Nope. Right now it seems like the flaws outweigh the benefits as most people aren't bringing bombs into planes so it is inconvenient. However until we develop better technology it's really as good as it gets, save for the ability to hire personnel that are non-abusive, which is difficult in every walk of life anyway.

I don't think the TSA needs to be reigned in, I think it needs to change to be more productive. The U.S has a nasty habit of falling into a procedural method of things, to try to apply a one-size-fits-all strategy to ensure the maximum amount of coverage is extended, which is why their methods are so stringent and feel like violation. Whereas, like you say in your poll, a country like Israel is small enough and resourceful enough to resort to profiling as a method of detection which is on a more individual basis and yields more accurate results. Unfortunately it is difficult to implement a system like that in the U.S, but I would think it to be something worthwhile looking into as a method of change, or to develop some sort of machine that is safe and that can easily scan every part of a person's luggage and body without touching them. Obviously the X-Ray machines are very falliable which is why the rest of the TSA methods still remain in place today.

 

[KrazyKat]

It sounds more like they did assault you, rather than perform a standard procedure .

Well, that would be encouraging because what they did was run their hand up, up into between the lips of my labia. Then did it again with my legs the other way. So I was assaulted by a Federal offical on duty?

Rape crisis/molestation counselors have warned: if you are sensitive to having your body looked at, touched, this checkpoint business can set you off. P-T-S-D. You don't need to be assaulted like I was, like others have been. This isn't "not liking" being touched-- this is much more than that-- people who cannot handle it. Their bodies remembering it. This isn't a political interest group-- it's a psychologically-impaired class of people who can be re-traumatized. And it's not okay to traumatize a class of people, force a class of people to be unable to travel by air.

Like a person with a pacemaker, there are certain things you musn't forcibly subject them to. Not because they don't like it, but because it can really hurt them. Since this happened, I've been withdrawn, feeling "not okay" too much of the time. I've felt disoriented at times. I had stress before--this is different.

The TSA could not care less, and there is no choice, no way to opt out of having some stranger touch your privates. The cargo holds of planes are hardly checked and its not the dying grandma that anyone needs to worry about. I really think the whole thing is a crock, more "security theater" than real. Sure bags need to be checked. Metal detectors, questions, bomb-sniffing dogs-- that all makes sense. But not what the TSA is doing. People should get mad, and the protocols need to be changed. That's healthier than going along with this nonsense.

TSA needs new ways of doing the job, without degrading people, without injuring people with PTSD from sexual battery or molestation, and without letting criminals carry-out quickie assaults. My 10 cents.

 

[sea]

Well, that would be encouraging because what they did was run their hand up, up into between the lips of my labia. Then did it again with my legs the other way. So I was assaulted by a Federal offical on duty?

What you've described there is not congruent with what a typical terry stop should consist of, and pretty much I would say yes. I have had training on how to perform a patdown and there should be zero contact with a person's genitals aside from inside the thighs. I have also been subjected to patdowns in the past (this was before my PTSD so take it with a grain of salt) and have had them performed in professional manners where the officer told me what he was doing every step of the way, which is how a typical terry stop procedure should go. I have trauma from childhood abuse and at that time I was uncomfortable with it, but I was able to deal with it adequately due to the professionalism of the officer involved.

Upon researching this a bit more closely I have discovered that TSA officers do not follow the same legal protocols that police enforcement and military personnel use:

March 2011, two New Hampshire state representatives introduced proposed legislation, colloquially called the "don't touch my junk bill", that would criminalize as sexual assault invasive TSA patdowns made without probable cause.

- From Wikipedia's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don't_touch_my_junk

I wasn't aware of this when I made my first comments and am deeply appalled that the TSA apparently does not follow the same rules as military and police officers. And this is likely why they are getting away with doing that to women. That is not how a frisk is supposed to go, and it is probable that these TSA agents know all of this and are using it to their advantage in order to commit covert abuse.

 

[sea]

. (wrong post sorry i meant to post in another diary)

 

[mamachick]

I am so sorry this happened to you-it is inexcusable and not congruent with a pat down. I don't know how long it has been since this incident but I would report it. Is there not security camera to verify this as well? I don't have issues with this so I would not expect it to trigger me but I sure would be furious.

I am no expert-not even that knowledgable about these security pat downs-so how do women prevent this from happening? I don't mean to sound ignorant or explicit but...If a woman is wearing a skirt or dress and the search is done, even with others around and a video camera- the searcher has the ability to do exactly what you experienced.

What if women wore a Depends, or Attends? It would prevent any skin contact but would it interfere with the scanner and make one more likely to be searched? It is awful that anyone should have to do this. However, we do want to prevent terrorists attacks and even children can be the suspect. If I were sensative to this situation, I would consider it if it does not interfere with scanner. I would not see how it would as it is just thicker cloth.

I am sorry that we live in a society that we have to consider such measures to be pro active against someone that would abuse their position.

 

[Venator]

The "new" TSA Pat-downs are high invasive, as far as they can seem to go without penetration.

I tend to be afraid of myself and what I'll do. I have to fly at the beginning of next month, and I really don't want to end up in jail for wigging out on TSA personnel.

I have never felt safe with the TSA in many of the airports I've travelled in and have been traveling in since I was 7 (alone). I never felt safe with the people who were adamant about taking away my plastic, bright orange and neon green super soaker but couldn't even tell me where the nearest emergency exit was in Philadelphia Int'l Airport

 

[catjudo]

I have removed the poll. Polls are only to be posted in the PTSD Polls forum.

 

[KrazyKat]

I have to fly at the beginning of next month, and I really don't want to end up in jail for wigging out on TSA personnel.

Right! I confer with folks on a site travelunderground-- they would surely help you with your question about how to navigate a certain airport-- they are really knowledgeable. There is advice there on a similar question from a New Member. The pat-downs can be done whether or not you go through the "Nude-O-Scope"-- it really is very invasive.

The GAO reported that the US is not safer but some $8B poorer as a result of these methods.
Best of luck--and take care, Venator!

 

[mamachick]

I have not given much thought to all of this in the past. Since reading these posts, I went to travelunderground and read and watched several video's. I am appalled. My earlier post was totally ignorant to the situation. I apologize. This is abuse of power and control and I admit that the last video I watched triggered abuse I suffered by a local cop.

A woman who refused the body scan was handcuffed to a chair for all other passengers to walk around while she was humiliated and intimidated. Just another place we cant really feel safe.

 

[KrazyKat]

This is abuse of power and control ...Just another place we cant really feel safe.

I haven't seen that video; they can be upsetting. It's very individual. I do support people trying to bring more awareness of this to travellers-- not so people like assault/molestation survivors can learn to brace for it (to accommodate the TSA), but so they can take care of themselves. I wish I was more effective right now to pursue change on all fronts.

The entire TSA is really out-of-control right now. Even within what they've decided they will do at the airport checkpoints, I find it incredible TSA as an agency is so callous to children, to people who are disabled, visibly or invisibly, or likely to be extra-sensitive like assault/molestation survivors. The folks running this cannot be very smart--or they are just exceptionally cruel. Either way, I believe there are more important security "gaps" than those on our bodies they need to concern themselves with.

I have filed a complaint, but the TSA has yet to provide needed information for the investigation as requested. :tdown:
The silver lining in all this personally is that it's brought my PTSD from that earlier assault into my own awareness, so I can better understand that source to work on my issues more effectively. But what a very stupid way to learn that!

 

[mamachick]

What happened with 911 sticks out in all of our minds, nobody wants a repeat. I think it is this fear that keeps most people from getting to upset about current tsa. I flew 3 times round trip about i year ago, and have not since. I had no incidents with tsa. I admit I paid no attention to what was going on with other travelers. One reason is each time I flew it was very busy and the rules so strict and maybe confusing. Constantly asking myself, didnt put any liquid in carry on? how much is this suitcase going to weigh? which way do we go? etc. Very hussle bussle environment for me.

However, after reviewing all of these video's, I realized that while I was watching this I felt that sense of self preservation-that I did when I was traveling. So glad to get through check points and looking for my travel companions and feeling the relief that we all got through without incident. Then getting the hell out of the area only to have to sit for hours and wait to board.

I tend to be, or use to be a person who notices social injustices. Travel is an area where people just mind their own business and look the other way, assuming that tsa is just doing their job and it is all for the good. When in fact, what is being done is solving nothing. While I have no history of childhood sexual abuse to be triggered, I do have a history with shame issues, intimidation, humiliation, and threat to my life. When someone is detained this way, searched, treated like a criminal, only they know what they are feeling. When the searchers have the ability to cross the lines and nobody passing will even look their way let alone help-this is frightenening.

In hind sight, I feel like I have been led around like a donkey-now even seeing what is going on. Next time I travel, I will be prepared, travel light, have my camera ready, and be calm and observant. It will be very soon.. Will let you know