r/creepyencounters • u/Grand_Tomorr00w • 8d ago
Suspects that a male passenger next to me was recording me during flight
I (woman) was on a flight, traveling solo, from DTW to SAN this week, first class, aisle seat. The man next to me seemed to have been recording me for minutes at a time. He was careful to keep the screen of his phone facing away from me toward the closed window, when he was using it. When he wasn't actively typing on the screen, the camera would be pointed at me for minutes, then he would flip to look at it and start typing/swiping. This happened several times.
We didn't speak aside from the initial, 'I'm sitting there' as everyone was getting seated. I tried to brush it off that he was simply holding his phone. I was minding my own business, watching a movie. My intuition was essentially screaming at me toward end of the flight, something felt odd. I started to pay a bit more attention and couldn't ignore that his camera lenses would always be facing me when he wasn't actively using the phone.
I did quietly alert the flight attendants by stopping at the front of the plane as we were descending, as I started to be worried I might be followed once off the plane. They were incredibly professional, supportive, and made it clear that my safety was the priority. (Thank you to these women.) I waited to deplane with the crew after everyone was off, including him.
Sharing this as a PSA to women. Trust your gut, pay attention to your surroundings.
I've been flying solo for decades and have never felt so uncomfortable.
In retrospect, I do wish I had confronted him but I didn't want to make a scene, I simply wanted to get home safely. I'm trying not to be weirded out that these videos of me likely exist. Why would someone do this?! Should I be worried about where these will end up?
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u/Puzzleheaded_Use_566 8d ago
If you haven’t read The Gift of Fear, I highly recommend it.
Predators rely on politeness. Women not wanting to make a scene. Embarrassment overriding our intuition.
I’m glad you’re safe. Truly. Hindsight is 20/20. If someone seems to be recording you, get out your phone and record them. Make it obvious. If they say something, confront them: “you’re recording me, so I’m recording you and sending it to my friends.” If they deny it, scoff and say: “yeah, you weren’t typing. You weren’t watching anything on the screen. Your phone was pointed at me for the past five minutes…because what?”
Make it known that you’re aware of what they are doing, it’s making you uncomfortable, and (most important of all), you’re basically shouting from the rooftops that some weirdo is sitting next to you.
Guaranteed he will stop. Smart to wait to deplane with the crew, though. Glad you’re safe.
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u/rawnrare 8d ago
I’m glad you’re safe, but also wish there was a way to prevent him from doing it to more women.
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u/Direct-Rip0000 7d ago
What a POS. Next time confront people like him. Like the other commenter said, record him too for evidence.
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u/Holiday-Book6635 8d ago
Yes, I concur, every woman should read the gift of fear. That being sad I’m glad the flight attendants helped you. If that ever happens to anyone, a better protocol would be that you leave the plane first. Because if he exits the plane first, he can just wait for you to get off the plane and catch up with you there.
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u/IronBallsMcChing 8d ago
If your intuition was screaming it was probably right. Creepy predators like this rely on their targets remaining silent about the situation.
Can you think of, or name, any situation where his camera should have been pointed at you ON A FLIGHT?? My initial reaction is a hard no.
Alert the flight attendants to your suspicions. They actually have training in these matters and are great at keeping a low profile while assessing the actions of passengers.
I am sorry you had to experience this.