more on DO READ THIS DJF -- Aggressive Searches Pat-down Searches/Sexual Harassment at the Airport

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: Barry Steinhardt <bsteinhardt () aclu org>
Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 12:09:01 -0500
To: Esther Dyson <edyson () edventure com>
Cc: <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: [IP] DO READ THIS DJF -- Aggressive Searches Pat-down
Searches/Sexual Harassment at the Airport

Esther,

Happy New Year! 

We met with the TSA last week and astoundingly they have no statistics on
how many searches have been conducted at each airport or what the ratio is
between men and women.

They did tell us that the TSA screeners had been told to pick out passengers
with an "unnatural physical form" -- a judgement that seems to be entirely
idiosyncratic, albeit  skewed to women as the screeners seem particularly
focused on breasts.

We have logged a hundred + complaints from flyers around the country. The
TSA admitted last week that they have received 400.  All of ours, so far,
have been from women, who range in age from 23 to 93. Many of them are
business travellers, who report repeated instances of "groping" --the most
frequent word we hear.

My 16 year daughter having read all the news accounts is now refusing to fly
anywhere for vacation. Apparently she is not the only woman to have made
that judgement and the airlines are not happy either.

Please do let me know if you have any troubling experiences.

Best regards,

Barry




At 10:33 AM 12/25/2004, Esther Dyson wrote:

> Hi Barry - 
>
> I wonder if anyone (outside the TSA) has looked at these stats by airport....
>
> FWIW - I travel a lot and I really hate this whole system, but I haven't
> encountered anyone doing more or less than following the orders they were
> given. (Rest assured I'll let you know if I do!)
>
> My problem is with the orders...
>
> aside from that, happy holidays!
>
> Esther 
>
> At 09:47 AM 12/25/2004, you wrote:
>
> > > ------ Forwarded Message
> > > From: Barry Steinhardt <bsteinhardt () aclu org>
> > > Date: Sat, 25 Dec 2004 09:42:59 -0500
> > > To: <dave () farber net>
> > > Subject: Aggressive Searches Pat-down Searches/Sexual Harassment at the
> > > Airport 
> > >
> > > Dave, 
> > >
> > > A September 2004 TSA directive granting airport security screeners broad
> > > leeway to conduct "pat-down" searches has led to numerous reports of sexual
> > > harassment and abuse.
> > >
> > > Victims -- particularly women-- are reporting that they are not being
> > > offered private searches or searches by screeners of the same sex, and that
> > > "private" searches are being conducted behind screens that provide no
> > > privacy. Passengers are reporting rough, rude, and humiliating manhandling
> > > and groping of their breasts and crotch areas, demeaning sexual comments,
> > > and being forced to remove business jackets in full view of crowds, despite
> > > the fact that it is a widespread convention in our society for women to
> > > wear only bras or other undergarments underneath such jackets.
> > >
> > > The ACLU is assessing possible responses to this policy. In doing so, it is
> > > extremely helpful for us to gain a sense of the kinds of abuses that are
> > > taking place. If list members have experienced a problem with pat-down
> > > searches at airport security, they can help us end this problem by
> > > reporting their story at:
> > >
> > > https://www.aclu.org/Feedback/Feedback.cfm?R=58
> > <https://www.aclu.org/Feedback/Feedback.cfm?R=58>
> > > For more information on the abuses, IP members might want to look at
> > > http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=17104&c=39
> > <http://www.aclu.org/Privacy/Privacy.cfm?ID=17104&amp;c=39> , where we have
> > > collected many of the news stories.
> > >
> > > All the best on the new year,
> > >
> > >
> > > Barry Steinhardt
> > >
> > > Director 
> > > Technology and Liberty Project
> > > American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
> > > www.aclu.org <http://www.aclu.org/>
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------ End of Forwarded Message
> > >
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------
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>
>
> Esther Dyson             Always make new mistakes!
> Editor, Release 1.0
>
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