When I first heard of Uber, it immediately reminded me of the stranger danger white van--you know, the windowless van driven by a man offering candy to children.
In case you don't know, the whole idea behind Uber is a taxi service linked through an app. You send out a request and a local Uber driver picks you up in his or her car. Basically, to become an Uber driver you need a car, driver's license, and a clean record. And it's incredibly popular.
However, in March of this year, Buzzfeed (yes, they are technically a news site) released an investigation of Uber, finding...
6,160 reports of sexual assault and 5,827 reports of rape from Uber's anonymous customer support platform, Zendesk.
Uber strongly rebutted these claims, stating that Zendesk could not be trusted for accurate information, and claimed that there were only 5 reports of rape and "fewer than" 170 reports of sexual assault. Yet Buzzfeed's evidence shows explicit proof of hundreds of reports claiming sexual assault or rape from passengers simply wanting a safe ride home.
According to Fortune from December 30, 2015, Uber's popularity is steadily rising, passing their one billionth passenger before their five-year anniversary. Other statistics report that Uber's app has around 8 million users around the world. According to DMR statistics, one million rides are taken every day throughout 68 countries and 400 cities.
As Uber usage rises, the possibility of passenger rape or assault become more and more prevalent. Due to this, a former Uber driver decided to start up a company called SafeHer. This driving service would offer rides to both women and boys under 13. The idea was birthed as the Uber driver, Micheal Pelletz, received constant calls to pick up college-aged females from bars. He wanted to create a way for female passengers could feel safe while being transported around their city.
And while many women were offended, stating that they didn't need the service because they could take care of themselves, the service can do nothing but good in our society. Which is sad. I would love to agree with these women, saying that women can protect themselves, or that men have no right to assault or rape vulnerable and intoxicated passengers. But years of statistics and news stories prove that our voices make no difference.
Unfortunately, the few do not account for the many, and we have a duty to protect our daughters, our families and our friends from the harsh realities of the world. Women, and men, should feel safe going out in the city, walking around at night and even drinking at a bar. They should feel even safer, getting transported back home.
While I wish this service was not necessary, it is becoming increasingly clear that it most certainly is. And while I believe SafeHer should be an establishment in cities, Uber should also work hard to make their corporation safer for everyone involved.
