Video #1
What amazes me about this story, is not only is this an illegal, sexually-violating police search, but it happened on a public road, for anyone driving by to see. These two women were pulled over, for allegedly throwing a cigarette out of the car window. They were given full body internal searches.
Gloves were not changed between anal and vaginal probes, nor were they changed between women.
Under Texas law, this is considered sexual assaults/rape.
Texas Penal Code Sec. 22.011. SEXUAL ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) intentionally or knowingly: (A) causes the penetration of the anus or sexual organ of another person by any means, without that person's consent;
And after all of that -
no ticket was issued. The incident happened last December and the women are now filing suit.
This is not the first time a search like this has taken place, reported, or become news. Here is the video of another incident where two women are searched and internally probed on the side of the road. One woman yells in pain as the female trooper shoved her hand inside the woman. In this 'search' the troopers did not bother to check the women's socks/shoes.
Video #2
In both videos, you will hear two of the women 'half-laughing/giggling' a bit during the probes. I think most of us realize these women do not find this funny - and those are natural nervous reactions to the humiliation and shock they were experiencing. I admire them for coming forward with their stories.
It's hard to wrap my brain around what is happening in Texas, and specifically to women.This is not to say such things do not happen around the country, they do. But Texas is being especially exposed, and with more women coming forward to report violations, there is a chance for change. I am grateful to people courageous enough to stand up to the law when wronged, as well as to social media for circulating these videos causing some to go viral. Public outrage and protests help to create new laws.
For Full Story: Daily News
(Diary Cross-Posted On Liberals Unite)
For those unable to view video, here are two screenshots: