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Survey: Most Flight Attendants Say They've Faced Sexual Harassment

An Association of Flight Attendants survey found 68 percent of flight attendants have been sexually harassed by passengers.

Survey: Most Flight Attendants Say They've Faced Sexual Harassment
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Most flight attendants say they've been sexually harassed during their career.

That's according to a survey out Thursday by the Association of Flight Attendants. It says 68 percent of flight attendants reported they've been sexually harassed by passengers. Thirty-five percent said it's happened in the past year.

The survey is the first of its kind and notably comes amid the #MeToo movement. AFA President Sara Nelson said the airline industry has sexism built into its history. She told CNN, "Airlines for a very long time sold tickets based on defining air travel in a sexual way, and oftentimes flight attendants were the object of that."

Flight attendants surveyed said they were subjected to passengers' "explicit sexual fantasies, propositions, requests for sexual 'favors'" and pornographic media. Eighteen percent also said they've been physically harassed.

Not only is that behavior dangerous for flight attendants, it's also dangerous for passengers. The AFA notes sexual harassment could affect flight attendants' ability to carry out their duties as first responders in the event of an emergency.