Lately I have read a news about how often the flight attendants experienced sexual harassment during the flights.
More than two-thirds of flight attendants in the U.S. report experiencing verbal or physical sexual harassment during their careers, according to a study released Thursday by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
About 35 percent of flight attendants taking part in the survey said they experienced verbal sexual harassment, including lewd, suggestive and inappropriate comments, in the past year alone. Eighteen percent were physically harassed during the same period, reporting that they were “touched, felt, pulled, grabbed, groped, slapped, rubbed and fondled,” on top of and under their uniforms, AFA said. -By the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA
I don't really know how's the working environment of the airlines in States. However, in Asia, I think the flight attendants are experiencing verbal or physical sexual harassment probably. I cannot say that the image of flight attendants in Asia airlines are like 'maid' or 'slave'. but somehow the society creates an interesting atmosphere is like 'our salary is included to have sexual harassment like passengers touch our body or say something really flirty.' something like that.
For example, a ‘bikini airline’, Vietnam-based low-cost airline Vietjet Air is known for its saucy stunts featuring scantily clad women. Since launching in 2011, the airline has published an annual calendar that features women in bikinis posing as cabin crew members such as flight attendants, pilots and ground staff.
Through the social media worldwide, how people will think about what actually the duty of the flight attendant has to be?We cares passengers and our own safety, but not here for showing our body shape and like a model.
I remember when I first joined the company and I flew to Japan, there was a passenger watching porn magazine and masturbated under the blanket when I was serving food around him during the flight. Some of the managers didn't care how you felt after you explained how uncomfortable you were because in their mind 'Customers are always right. and that passenger actually was our 'valuable' titled holder member. They were afraid of getting complaints.
Yesterday when flying back from Vancouver, there was a drunk passenger grabbed one of our crew's bum which made her so uncomfortable. She was lucky as the inflight manager and captain were so supportive and gave the passenger written warning after they talked and the passenger at the end admitted it.
Nowadays our company handles the cases of sexual harassment better and better and the senior crews are more open-minded now - 'When we are doing right, we have to protect ourselves and fight for everything we deserve.' And now I am braver to speak it out what I experience or what I witness as I believe that we all need to respect everyone no matter which gender it is. We do have to get rid of the old ideology with gender/ job discrimination and let our next generation grows in a fair and healthy environment.
Thanks for reading my sharing.
Much love,
Gladys
@gladysmak
