News reporter slapped on live TV: “He took my power”

(CBS News) – Reporter Alex Bozarjian said she was in “disbelief” when a man, who was running in the Savannah race she was covering on Saturday, moved behind her and appeared to slap her on the butt.

“He took my power, and I’m trying to take that back,” Bozarjian said Tuesday on “CBS This Morning,” adding, “I think what it really comes down to is that he helped himself to a part of my body.”

You could see her shock during her live shot in the video posted on Twitter, which has been viewed more than 11 million times. On Saturday Bozarjian called the man out on Twitter, writing: “To the man who smacked my butt on live TV this morning: You violated, objectified, and embarrassed me. No woman should EVER have to put up with this at work or anywhere!! Do better.”

Bozarjian filed a police report Monday, and the man, Tommy Callaway, was banned from future Savannah Sports Council races.

Bozarjian described the “heavy impact” and told CBS News the encounter made her feel “extremely vulnerable.”

“I would say the reason why maybe it caught so much fire is because the emotion is extremely relatable for women all over the world,” she said.

In a statement, Callaway’s lawyer said: “While we regret the situation, Mr. Callaway did not act with any criminal intentions. Tommy is a loving husband and father who is very active in his community.”

Bozarjian said Callaway made contact with Savannah station WSAV-TV and said his intentions were not to hurt her.

“I’m not going to really debate that because he hurt me,” Bozarjian said.

Watch more from our conversation with Bozarjian:

“It’s not okay to help yourself to a woman’s body just because you feel like it… in order to make any kind of change, you have to be a little bit drastic. And you have to… chip away at this toxic culture that permeates our society.” — @WSAVAlexB pic.twitter.com/tYsvu0uFiW

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) December 10, 2019