Oct 2, 2008 9:00 am US/Pacific
Passenger: JetBlue Attendant Sexually Harassed Me
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
-
-
Gina Rousett told CBS Station WCBS-TV in New York that a JetBlue flight attendant showed her naked pictures of himself, made lewd comments and grabbed her buttocks during a flight earlier this year.
CBS
In an interview with CBS Station WCBS-TV in New York, a New Jersey
woman said she is still traumatized eight months after a JetBlue flight
attendant allegedly sexually harassed her on a flight from Fort
Lauderdale, Fla. to Newark, N.J.
Gina Rousett said it all started shortly after she boarded the plane with what she thought was a friendly conversation with a flight attendant, but looking back now, she says she should have been wary.
"He literally told me he was going to have nobody sit next to me because I was all his," Rousett said. "I was definitely trapped."
And after takeoff it got much worse. Rousett said Dayne Arokium's behavior was lewd and outrageous.
"He kept telling me that he wanted me," Rousset said. "At one point he said, 'You know you want me,' and [he was] always grabbing himself, all the time."
And she said twice he tossed his cell phone, showing naked pictures of himself, onto her tray table.
"I told him, 'You're disgusting. You know I'm married and I don't want any part of you,' but he kept going and going and going," Rousset said.
Frantic, she said she escaped to the bathroom. Rousett said he followed, making vulgar comments through the door. On her way back to her seat, she said Arokium grabbed her buttocks.
But incredibly, she did nothing and told no one.
"I was scared. I was really, really scared," Rousett said. "Why I didn't get up and say something to somebody I don't know."
Seven months later, flight attendant Arokium was arrested on charges of "obscene and indecent exposure" and for making a "lewd, obscene and indecent sexual proposal."
According to charging documents, Arokium "admitted to showing the full body naked picture on his cell phone" and "to making sexual advances." But he denied "grabbing" Rousett or "acting in a harassing manner."
In a statement to WCBS, JetBlue said Arokium no longer works for the airline and that "JetBlue has and will continue to cooperate in the investigation."
Rousett said she wishes she had spoken up on the plane and hopes by coming forward now other women will learn from her.
"I don't think I will ever get over it," she said. "I think it will always be there in my mind."
When reached at home, Arokium said that on the advice of his attorney, he had no comment. His attorney did not return our call for comment.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Arokium has not yet entered a plea in the case against him.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
WeHo Halloween Carnaval
Click to enlarge
Dems Insist Health Care Bill Is DOA In Senate 31 mins ago
Stumble It!
