68% of flight attendants face abuse but training on problem is lacking

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          For many U.S. flight attendants, navigating lewd comments or unwanted touching by passengers is a troublesome but all too common reality of their jobs, with two out of three flight attendants saying they've experienced sexual harassment during their careers, according to a survey released in the Spring of 2018.

          One out of three who responded to the survey conducted by the Association of Flight Attendants said they'd experienced verbal sexual harassment within the last year, with many reporting that they experienced lewd remarks five times or more during that time span.

         One in five said they'd been subject to physical harassment in the past year.  In many cases, flight attendants felt they lacked formal training and support from their carriers for dealing with the harassment.

          The survey of 3,500 flight attendants from 29 U.S. airlines is an attempt to measure a problem that has been spoken about for decades, dating back to an era when young, pretty and single flight attendants were a core part of many carriers' marketing strategies.

          The survey is part of a growing push to raise awareness and take action against sexual misconduct onboard aircrafts, whether directed at fight attendants or other passengers. 

          As the #MeToo movement has captured national headlines, more passengers have been speaking up about their experiences of sexual harassment and assault on planes. 

          A separate survey by AFA published last year found that one in five flight attendants had received a report from a passenger that they were sexually harassed or assaulted during a flight.  The FBI, which has jurisdiction over crimes committed on planes, said it investigated 63 cases of sexual assault on aircraft in the 12 months ending Sept. 30, the fourth year in a row where investigations have increased.

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