Twitter Is All About These Women Who Banded Together To Defend Teenage Passenger Against Plane ‘Creep’

When Canadian journalist Joanna Chiu witnessed a grown man making inappropriate advances at an unaccompanied teenage girl on a flight she and some fellow female passengers took action and the Internet was quick to appalud them. After the passengers came to the girl’s defense, the flight crew learned of the situation, the man was made to move and he was confronted by security after the flight. Joanna (aka @joannachiu) recounted the whole situation on Twitter.

An Unsavory Situation

As Joanna explained, the man seemed to be excited that he was seated next to the young girl. Although it was clear that the man was a little too eager to be talking to a teenager, their conversation began innocently enough.

She was friendly and he seemed to take that as a welcome cue to get very familiar and started teasing her and kept saying that he wanted to take her out to eat, which she was ignoring. At this point I had to stay awake in case anything went further than that.

— Joanna Chiu 趙淇欣 (@joannachiu) March 25, 2019

He started off asking the girl about her future goals. She wanted to be a CEO, and he seemed to think that was funny. Then, things took a turn. He told the girl that he wanted to take her out to eat, and he began to tease her in a manner that nearby adults could tell was flirtatious.

Things Get Worse

When the man asked to see “dirty” pictures of the girl, Joanna stepped in. He brushed her off and went to the bathroom. Joanna used that opportunity to alert a flight attendant. Another female passenger who had witnessed the situation consoled the girl and made her aware of her rights.

Another woman seated behind him was listening and monitoring too and while the man was gone she let the teen know that she had the right to change seats and that she was just behind her if she needed any help. I went to get a flight attendant and informed her of what was going on

— Joanna Chiu 趙淇欣 (@joannachiu) March 25, 2019

The flight crew was very firm with the man. They forced him to change seats and airport security was waiting on him when the plane landed. Joanna Chiu got a business card from the man before everything happened, and she privately informed his company about his actions.

A Lesson Learned

Although there were several passengers who could see and hear what happened, the women surrounding the girl were the only ones to recognize that something was wrong.

But none of the male passengers seemed to show they noticed what was going on. Maybe fellow women are more likely to pick up on warning signs early on in the conversation because we used to be teenage girls too?

— Joanna Chiu 趙淇欣 (@joannachiu) March 25, 2019

Joanna shared the story in hopes that people, especially men, will be more observant about their surroundings. This true story shows the benefits of speaking up when you see something wrong.

Women are often running almost unconscious background scans for violating behaviour. Not always, just while we’re awake ?

That’s why many man don’t intervene as quickly. They just don’t have or need the creep radar.

— Susan Carey ?? ? ? ? (@Susan_T_Carey) March 25, 2019

All parents send you an enormous thank you. I have been in that teenager’s position more than once. On one occasion a young man on a train stepped in to help me. I’ve also stepped in as an older woman to help young girls. Thank goodness you were there for this girl.

— Denise Louis ? (@birdyluisa) March 25, 2019