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Joanna Chiu
@joannachiu
Managing Partner @nuoraglobal, a strategic intelligence and advisory firm focused on technology, geopolitics, and business in Asia. Author, #ChinaUnbound
Vancouver, BC
Joined December 2009
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    Technology and geopolitics are rapidly reshaping the global business environment. Nüora Global’s newsletter delivers practical insights on Asia from veteran business advisors, subject experts, and risk specialists. Subscribe for actionable analysis: nuoraglobaladvisors.substack.com
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    Thread about airplane creeps: I’m on a plane from a late-evening stopover from and was very tired and had a row to myself to sleep but couldn’t avoid noticing what was going on in the row behind me.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    I don’t want to say name of airline because journalists have to be careful not to make endorsements but just want to say that this Canadian airline crew handled the situation so well. Workplaces, schools, sports teams etc. can take note. They even gave me and other woman a card.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    But none of the male passengers seemed to show they noticed what was going on. Maybe fellow women are more likely to pick up on warning signs early on in the conversation because we used to be teenage girls too?
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    All adults need to be on guard and know there are things we can do to intervene even when a crime hadn’t technically been committed yet. Men need to figure out how to “spot creeps” in their vicinity as well and men can help too to prevent harassment or assault.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    He moved. The attendants checked in with the young woman and wrote up a report. They handled the situation well as far as I could tell, and it’s good to know other adult women passengers on the plane were paying attention and taking action while trying not to embarrass the teen.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    Oh, and I also caught his name and the company he works for. I’ll be sending a private note to them.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    I’m sure the young woman he targeted will be CEO someday or some other position of influence. She was in the middle of studying when he started harassing her. It’s sad these experiences are extremely common. Recommend @JessicaValenti’s memoir for insights: amazon.ca/Sex-Object-Mem…
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    They checked other witness accounts and the head of the flight service (a woman) asked the man to move. He resisted then started swearing at me and asked to talk to the boss and the head flight attendant said “I’m the boss, this is really serious and we could land the plane.”
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    Just walked off the plane and security was ready to pull him aside to talk to him and he looked like he was sweating bullets.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    It’s so disturbing there are predatory people out there who act like they have no idea what they’re doing is wrong. It’s unclear if the man is going to be monitored by flight crew the next time he flies.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    It did, and as soon as he asked for a “dirty” photo while leaning close to her I turned around and rage-whispered exactly what I thought of that and he didn’t say anything back and went off to use the washroom.
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    Bystander intervention training:
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    Replying to @joannachiu
    Another woman seated behind him was listening and monitoring too and while the man was gone she let the teen know that she had the right to change seats and that she was just behind her if she needed any help. I went to get a flight attendant and informed her of what was going on