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Audio Transcript

Mollie Halpern: The FBI is receiving increased reports of sexual assaults aboard aircraft.

Matthew Ploskunak: You shouldn’t have to ride in fear on an airplane.

Halpern: That’s Supervisory Special Agent Matt Ploskunak with more details into the rising reports…

Ploskunak: In 2014, we had 38 incidents reported to us, and then in 2017, we had 63. So there is an increase over the last four years.

Halpern: Investigators say perpetrators are using the confines of an airplane cabin to gain access to their victims.

Sexual assault is any unwelcome sexual touching—from grazing a body part to more graphic acts.

Supervisory Special Agent Grant Permenter…

Grant Permenter: A lot of victims sit and think and ponder, “Is what happened to me a crime, or am I imagining it?” And if you’re in that grey area, it’s best to say something before the moment and the opportunity pass you up.

Halpern: Permenter says first…

Permenter: Report it to your flight crew in-flight. That way the issue can be addressed by the flight crew. And then subsequent to landing and deplaning, find the quickest and closest law enforcement and report the incident as well.

Halpern: The FBI has airport liaison agents located in 56 field offices across the country.

To learn more, visit www.fbi.gov.

With FBI, This Week, I’m Mollie Halpern of the Bureau.