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Ex-Miss USA From Methuen Rants About TSA Pat Down

DALLAS (CBS) - "I'm here at Dallas Airport and I'm very emotional right now because I just went through security."

So says former Miss USA Susie Castillo in a video she posted on her website. Castillo was raised in Lawrence and Methuen and won the crown in 2003.

WBZ-TV's Peg Rusconi reports

She posted the video and has filed a complaint to protest a TSA pat-down she describes as overly invasive.

"I do feel violated..."

In her video, Castillo says she chose a pat-down in Dallas to avoid the radiation of a full body scanner, and because a prior TSA pat-down at another airport went fine.

"The pat-down at Dallas Airport was completely different than the one I got at LAX," said Castillo, alleging the female officer in Dallas touched private parts.

According to a statement, the TSA found its female officer followed procedure. "We are constantly evaluating and adapting our security measures, and are always seeking to strike the right balance between privacy and security," reads the statement.

'We would really urge TSA to constantly be vigilant," said Toni Troop of Jane Doe, Inc, which advocates for victims of sexual violence. Troop says the TSA should be sure passengers who choose a pat-down know what their options are during that pat-down.

"Can they ask for somebody else? Can they decide they'd rather go through radiation instead?" asked Troop.

In her video, Castillo says she hopes her complaint-- and perhaps those of others-- might lead to a better choice.

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