A woman in Philadelphia has accused a driver for ridesharing service Uber of raping her and holding her captive for hours in his car after the alleged assault.
According to Philadelphia Magazine, the woman was picked up by an UberX driver in the city’s Old City neighborhood on Feb. 6.
She told police that the driver held her down, ripped her pants, and raped her, then kept her in his car for two additional hours as he drove around.
Police confirmed the investigation to Philadelphia Magazine, but Uber claims that it had not been told about the allegation until yesterday, even though the passenger went to the police the same day she was allegedly assaulted.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our rider,” a rep for Uber tells PhillyMag. “Upon learning of the incident, we immediately reached out to the Philadelphia Police Department to assist in their investigation and support their efforts in any way we can. As the investigation continues, the driver’s access to the Uber platform has been suspended.”
While many have championed services like Uber for offering competition to traditional taxi services, the company has been criticized for not doing enough to ensure the safety of its passengers.
Female passengers have reported being harassed and groped, held hostage, and physically assaulted by drivers.
And it’s not just women. In Chicago, a driver has been accused of sexually assaulting and choking a male passenger. Following multiple incidents of driver malfeasance in that city, Chicago Uber users will soon have access to a “panic button” feature in their mobile app.
by Chris Morran via Consumerist
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