Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
FBI Cleveland is advising the public to be ‘air aware’ and understand the general safety precautions ahead of the busy holiday travel season.
Being safe when traveling by air
Sexual assault aboard aircraft—which usually takes the form of unwanted touching—is a federal offense and a felony that can land offenders in prison. Typically, men are the perpetrators, and women and unaccompanied minors are the victims. The FBI has seen every combination of victim and perpetrator.
“Perpetrators look for easy opportunities to violate the space and trust of their victim. With the increased number of travelers during the holiday season, so are the number of people with nefarious intent,” said FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen. “That is why we stress that travelers remain air aware, especially when it is easy to become distracted with our devices while in an airport or in-flight.”
Crimes aboard aircraft fall within the FBI’s jurisdiction, and in the case of in-flight sexual assaults, agents describe elements of these crimes as being strikingly similar. The attacks generally occur on long-haul flights when the cabin is dark. The victims are usually in middle or window seats, sleeping, and covered with a blanket or jacket. They report waking up to their seatmate’s hands inside their clothing or undergarments.
Compared with a typical year, just a few years ago, the FBI saw a tenfold spike in reported complaints to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding unruly and dangerous passenger behavior on airplanes.
That number continues to grow.
While no two incidents are the same, the information below will identify common patterns of sexual offenders onboard aircraft.
Offenders
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates most perpetrators of sexual violence are known to the victim. However, sexual assaults on airplanes stand out because the victims usually do not know their assailants.
Generally, sexual crimes are committed by males, and the same holds true when they happen on airplanes. Most often, an assailant sits immediately next to the victim and takes advantage of this proximity. Victims likely sit in a middle or window seat, with the offender closer to or on the aisle, effectively barricading her so she will have to walk past the perpetrator to get out.
Sexual assaults onboard aircraft follow a predictable pattern that can be routine for experienced offenders. Because flights only last a few hours, assailants undertake a truncated grooming process to draw targets closer for control and exploitation. Grooming involves six steps to perpetrate sexual violence.
- Identifying the victim
- Gaining trust
- Filling a need
- Isolating
- Initiating sexual contact
- Maintaining control
Though grooming is most frequently applied in the context of targeting minors, the methodology is useful for understanding techniques employed by sexual perpetrators on aircraft for victims of any age.
Sexual offenders follow the same patterns in the air as they do on the ground but with a shortened timeline.
In-flight sexual assaults follow a predictable but unfortunate routine, from victim identification to incident. Even if they have never been formally prosecuted, offenders with the boldness to attempt such crimes in a confined space, surrounded by witnesses, and in which they have only a few hours to act have a lot of experience avoiding arrest. Luckily, investigators familiar with this pattern and willing to look into reported incidents can find the information needed to apprehend offenders and protect victims.
Staying Safe While Flying
Share these tips with traveling family and friends to ensure they are less susceptible to in-flight sexual assaults.
- Do not mix medications (even over the counter) with alcohol. These substances can induce deep sleep or affect users in unexpected ways, especially at a high altitude.
- Dress for comfort, rather than style. Tight clothing can make it easier for sexual predators to access sensitive areas.
- Flight attendants are there to help. If you do not feel comfortable, ring the call light or get up and ask for assistance or to be reseated.
- If someone is being inappropriate, politely ask them to stop. It will scare off potential attackers by showing you are aware of their actions. As a worst-case scenario, a regular passenger will give you more space.
- Trust your gut. Offenders will often test their victims, sometimes pretending to brush against them to see how they react or if they wake up. If such behavior occurs, reprimand the person immediately, and consider asking to be moved to another seat.
- If your seatmate is a stranger, no matter how polite he or she may seem, keep the armrest between you down.
- If you are arranging for a child to fly unaccompanied, try to reserve an aisle seat so flight attendants can keep a closer watch on them. Victims have been as young as eight years old.
If an incident happens, report it immediately to the flight crew and ask that they record the attacker’s identity and report the incident. Flight attendants and captains represent authority on the plane, and they can alert law enforcement, and sometimes deal with the problem in the air. The flight crew can also put the offender on notice, which might prevent further problems.
If you think you are a victim of sexual assault aboard an aircraft, report the incident to your flight crew and to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI, or contact your local FBI office.
If alerted in advance, FBI agents can be on hand when the plane lands to conduct interviews and take subjects into custody. FBI victim specialists can respond as well because victims of federal crimes are entitled by law to a variety of services.