Several women have expressed concerns about triggering incidents of being ‘pat down’ in areas like their breasts and groins at regional Queensland airports.
CEO and Diversity and Inclusion Consultant, Felicity Menzies raised the issue on a LinkedIn post yesterday where she wrote about travelling in Gladstone and Mackay where her belt was detected.
“While passing through screening, an alert came up on my belt region in both Gladstone and then in Mackay. In both instances, that led to me be patted down on my groin despite me lifting my shirt to show their was clearly no weapon on me. In both instances, I was asked whether I wanted a private room. To be honest, that was more triggering. NO, I do NOT want to be patted down on my groin in a private room”, she wrote.
Menzies went on to say that she was denied entry into the airport at Mackay, and her bags taken off the conveyer, when she refused to comply with the protocol.
“There was no consideration at all by airport security regarding how unacceptable this process is and how triggering it could be for some women, in particular women who are victims of sexual assault,” she wrote.
Of course, as Menzies noted, there is “a simple alternative” to invasive pat-downs.
Metal detectors provide a simple way of ensuring safety, without violating women’s bodies.
“You cannot travel around QLD by air as a woman and feel safe,” said Menzies, adding “swipe me with a metal detector and then let me get on with my work”.
Like journalist, Louise Milligan who raised similar concerns in 2022 after being pat down at Sydney Airport and made to strip to a “little camisole” underneath her business blazer, Menzies raised her disatisfaction with Qantas staff.
“I had a Qantas attendant sit down with me afterwards and share with me that she has to do it daily and how uncomfortable it makes her feel,” she said.
Milligan stated that the Qantas staff she’d spoken with at the time of her incident were likewise “incensed and said they had multiple women complaining of similar security heavy-handedness this week”, including a woman who was left “crying after being forced to remove her t-shirt.”
I’m @SydneyAirport & at new full-body security screening was made to take off fitted business jacket (only had little camisole underneath). Have never had this happen anywhere. Man in front, in big bulky jumper, not made to change. It was embarrassing, uncomfortable, creepy 1/
— Louise Milligan (@Milliganreports) June 16, 2022
Responding to Milligan’s post in 2022, journalist Lisa Wilkinson shared a similar story.
She claimed to have been subjected to “a full pat-down in both areas” of her groin and breasts. “Embarrassing, uncomfortable, inappropriate & should be fixed”, she concluded.
On Menzies’ post, several women voiced their own experiences of being shocked and feeling violated after enduring pat downs.
One woman shared how the situation is exacerbated for those who are breast cancer survivors and have had surgeries and wear prosthetics. “Often the new high tech body scanners show something foreign in the bra and the response from security staff is often aggressive and only brings a human reaction when scars are shown” wrote organisational psychologist, Casey Aladic.
Another woman shared that she too had travelled through Mackay that day and experienced ” the most intrusive security ‘pat down’ I’ve ever encountered”.
“I’ve made tea but am shaking so much with rage and sadness that I’m not sure I won’t spill it”, she wrote.
So what’s the answer?
As Menzies notes, metal detector wands are certainly part of the equation. This limits direct human touch, and lessens the discomfort noted by so many. But so, I suspect, is a greater level of training. Women should be informed of their rights before being subjected to such protocols, including that they’re legally entitled to refuse pat downs in the breast and groin regions.
According to Menzies, she was told the opposite by security in Mackay.
“I was told if I didn’t consent, I couldn’t fly”, she wrote.
Thousands of us fly every day and deserve to do so without fear or anxiety. While national safety and security is paramount, surely women should be afforded that same assurance?
These allegations fall in the same week that Victorian woman Holly Richards, reported being brought to tears by a “horrific experience” dealing with Jetstar staff when boarding a flight in Sydney.
Being plus sized, Richards had purchased two seats with the airline for a journey to Avalon, Victoria on Monday so that she and other passengers would be comfortable. She reported being reprimanded for “confusing the system” with her purchase and told she was over her baggage limit despite having paid for the additional ticket and thus space.
“Being a plus-size person in this world is a very scary thing,” Richards told News.com.
“You are constantly open to ridicule and comments from often hostile strangers and feel unwelcome in many public places. This means many plus-size people feel they need to hide themselves and are filled with shame.”
It’s clear more needs to be done to ensure women are protected by both airlines and within airports.