Halt Harassment in Aviation Checklist

Your guide for navigating difficult situations

Halt Harassment in Aviation Checklist

Our Aviation Safety Culture

• Each of us is responsible for promoting and championing all aspects of safety throughout the aviation community.
  
• No person may assault, threaten, intimidate, or interfere with a crewmember in the performance of the crewmember’s duties aboard an aircraft being operated. Ref: US 14 CFR § 91.11, § 121.580
  
• Certain acts aboard aircraft in flight are criminal, including assault and sexual abuse offenses, regardless of any connection they may have with aircraft piracy or attempted piracy. Ref: US 49 USC 46506 § 113, §§ 2241 – 2244
  
• Airline Transport Pilot certificate holders must be of good moral character. Ref: US 14CFR § 61.153. Possible grounds for rejection or revocation of ATP privileges include felony conviction, falsification of documents, lying, and disregard for the rights of other human beings. Ref: US case law
  
• Harassment is a form of discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, military status, or retaliation for filing a complaint. Ref: US EEOC; Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978; Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2023 and other federal laws

Harassment Is . . . 

× Race-based or gender-based harassment × Put-downs 

× Unwelcome sexual attention × Come-ons …especially if persistent after refusal

× Nonconsensual fondling, rubbing, groping 

× Coercive requests for sexual favors × Quid pro quo

× Threats × Hate speech × Blocking × Violence × Assault

× Stalking × “Date-rape” drugging × Attempted rape × Rape

× Display of nooses, pornography, images

× Hostile environment: Widespread, condoned, ignored

× Retaliation for filing a complaint

…some of these are criminal acts

Harassment Might Look Like . . .

× Sexism × Racism × Homophobia × Ageism × Religious intolerance 

× Bullying × Intimidation × Microaggressions × Gaslighting 

× Derogatory comments × Slurs × ‘Jokes’ × Sexual image sharing

× Won’t stop when asked × Won’t take ‘No’ for an answer 

× Differing standards × Biased performance reviews

× Shaming × Silent treatment × Exclusion × Abuse of power

× Denying, downplaying, dismissing harassment complaints 

…and can be in person, in private, or via electronic media

The Harasser and/or Target Can Be . . .

× Any age, race, gender × Student × Instructor × Coworker
× Employee × Supervisor × Union member × Owner × Client 

× The target can be an individual or category of people

× Power imbalances:

   Older > Younger

   Instructor > Student 
   Captain > First Officer

   Majority group > Minority group

HALT HARASSMENT CHECKLIST

AVIATE!

GET TO SAFETY

• Get aircraft on the ground safely
  
• Get away from danger – Get everyone to safety

IN CASE OF VIOLENCE OR INJURY

• Call 911 or local law enforcement
  
• Call National Sexual Assault Hotline 800-656-4673, or local rape crisis center
  
• Go to hospital or emergency room

NAVIGATE!

CHECK IN

• Pause, breathe, compose yourself – Develop a plan
  
• Enlist assistance of bystanders, allies, other resources

CALL IT OUT

• Speak up for yourself – Set boundaries – Try to stay poised
  
• Use clear, direct, and firm language: STOP!

BE AN ALLY

• Listen empathetically – Believe them
  
• Speak up – Back them up
  
• If a witness, report it yourself as below
  
• Respect privacy of the target - it's not your story to tell on social media
  
• Be an advocate and agent for change in aviation safety

COMMUNICATE!

DOCUMENT

• Confide in someone whom you trust implicitly 
• Photograph – Audio or video record – Screenshot – Journal – Save
  
• Note what was said and done, what you did, who else was present, and the outcomes

REPORT

• Request union support, even if harasser is also a member – Note: This is NOT an official report
  
• Refer to company or school policies – Follow procedures
  
• Make your official complaint or report in writing to. . .
  

        - Supervisor, manager, chief pilot, or chief instructor

        - Personnel, Human Resources, or Legal department

        - Business manager or owner

• Stick to the facts: Who What When Where
  
• State impact on. . .
  

        - Personal safety

        - Ability to learn, work, fly

        - Safety of flight and aviation safety culture

FOLLOW THROUGH

• Report via FAA Safety Hotline, as appropriate
  
• File a NASA or ASAP report or equivalent, as appropriate
  
• Call EEOC, US Office for Civil Rights, state Dept of Human Rights
  
• Seek professional advice, legal counsel in labor law

WAYS TO HALT HARASSING BEHAVIOR



• Whenever possible, tell them that their conduct is unwelcome and must stop:
  

        - Bullies and predators are emboldened by inaction

        - Confident boundary-setting repels abuse

        - Speak up right away, in a post-flight debrief, or later by phone, text, or email

        - Use clear, direct, firm language

        - Enlist the help of an ally

• Try these words that are complete sentences:
  

        - NO.

        - STOP.

        - WOW.

• Neutralize with matter-of-fact statements  

        - Subject closed.

        - That’s personal.

        - You may be right.

        - I will allow you to rephrase that.
        - I’m here to [learn] [work] [fly] – let’s focus on that.

         - Let’s stay BORING, Basic Operating Requirements In Normal Guidelines.

• Name the behavior, firmly state that you want it to stop:
  

        - Your comments and 'jokes' are inappropriate, cut that out.

        - Enough! That is making me very uncomfortable.

        - I said I wasn’t interested, and I mean it. Leave me alone.

        - Stop touching me! That is never okay.

        - You’re interference with my [training] [flight duties] jeopardizes the safety of flight. If you continue, I will be obligated to report your misconduct as a hazard to safety.

• Here are more calm comebacks to rude remarks

© 2021 by  Jenny Beatty is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 . This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form and for noncommercial purposes only.

Supported in part by a Research Scholar Grant of the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship Fund of The Ninety-Nines, Inc.

Photo credit: Josh Hild