Woman Caught Man Secretly Taking Photos of Her While She Was Asleep on Plane. Here's What She Did Next.
“I am shaking with rage.”
A woman confronted a man who was reportedly taking pictures of her while she was sleeping on a plane, publicly shaming him via an online clip shared with her 650,000 followers. Fitness influencer Anna Clara Rios was traveling from São Paulo to Belo Horizonte last week when a flight attendant warned her the man was taking pictures of her without her knowledge. Rios was horrified and made sure the man was "outed" for his disgusting behavior. Here is what happened and what Rios shared in her social media video about the incident.
When Rios was warned the man was surreptitiously taking photos of her while she was sleeping, her first thought was he might recognize her from her Instagram account. "My first reaction [to the flight attendant] was 'I work on social media, he must have recognized me.'" She said, "But she said to me 'I don't think that's it, while you were sleeping, he was zooming in and trying to see what was under your dress.'"
Rios was determined to confront the man, who had allegedly sent the images to a friend via WhatsApp. "I felt very vulnerable and insecure, so I told the flight attendant that I was going to confront him because I wanted him to delete the photos from his mobile phone," Rios said.
In her video, Rios is seen bursting into tears while speaking about the incident. "I went to him feeling that my privacy had been invaded, I said this was not right, that I could be his mother, sister or daughter." Rios took a picture of the man's message and sent it to the police.
Rios's video was taken in the aisle of the plane, and she was careful to include the man in the shot. "I am shaking with rage," she said. "This gentleman here was taking photos of me while I was asleep, they had to let me know to move me." The man keeps his head down and doesn't respond to what Rios is saying.
The man was met by police when the plane landed in Belo Horizonte. He was escorted off the plane to applause from the other passengers. The man was reportedly taken to a local police station, but not put under arrest, according to Rios.
Dealing with harassment on an airplane can be a difficult and intimidating experience. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself and seek help:
Tell someone: If you feel comfortable, tell a flight attendant or another member of the cabin crew about the harassment. They are trained to handle these situations and will be able to help you.
Document the incident: If you can, try to take notes or record the incident so you can provide as much information as possible to authorities later on.
Stay safe: If the situation becomes dangerous or threatening, do what you can to protect yourself. This might mean moving to a different seat or asking for help from a flight attendant.
Contact the authorities: If the harassment continues or you feel unsafe, consider contacting the authorities once you land. You can also file a report with the airline or the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
It's important to remember that you have the right to feel safe and respected while traveling. Don't be afraid to speak up and seek help if you experience harassment on an airplane.
