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Cab Driver Allegedly Assaults Passenger in L.A.

June 10, 2009 By HKearl

In Los Angeles, California, a cab driver has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a female passenger. Unlike the recent incident in Malaysia where it sounds like the cab driver was assaulting women in the cab, this cab driver followed the woman into her home and assaulted her there. After the woman called the police, the cab company fully cooperated with the police and the driver was arrested last week.

“The L.A. Department of Transportation is stressing that with 2,300 licensed cab drivers in the city of L.A., taking a cab is still a safe way to get around town.” – via ABC local news

I think this is better advice – free from fear-mongering – than the advice given to women in Australia after a cab driver became aggressive toward a female passenger: “The best thing to do is not to travel alone at night.” Some advice, huh? It’s not realistic for everyone to avoid being out alone at night and it places the responsibility for avoiding the problem with the women instead of the perpetrators.

The LAPD believes there could be other victims and urges anyone with information to call the LAPD at (877) 527-3247.

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Filed Under: Administrator Tagged With: abc news, Australia, cab, female passenger, los angeles, maylasia, sexual assault, taxi

Taxi "Terror" in Australia

May 3, 2009 By HKearl

According to Star News in Australia in an article with the classy title “Taxi terror prompts a warning for women,”

“A young woman said she was forced to flee a taxi and hide in the early hours of Sunday morning after the driver became aggressive when she rejected his sleazy advances.”

She filed a report with the police and the taxi company. The police chief said he,

“was unaware of her allegations but urged taxi passengers to remain vigilant. ‘The best thing to do is not to travel alone at night and don’t get in the front seat at any time.'”

Photo from ABC News
Photo from ABC News

How realistic is it for everyone to not take a taxi by oneself? Instead of saying something about how the police force would do all they could to investigate the allegations and/or pass new measures to make sure passengers are safe with taxi drivers, he focused on putting the responsibility for safety unfairly and sometimes unrealistically in the hands of the passengers. Not helpful!

The taxi company’s response was a bit more helpful. Peter Valentine said they will investigate the woman’s allegation and that the taxi company is currently in discussions about installing scanners to facilitate “safe city taxi ranks.” Much more helpful than telling people to not ride in taxis alone.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about women taxi drivers and women-only taxi services and discovered that in Brisbane, Australia, there are women-driven cabs for women passengers precisely because of male drivers harassing female passengers. I’m not a proponent of women-only forms of public transportation as a long-term solution because ultimately men’s harassing behavior must end, but I am curious to find out how the women only taxi service is going.

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Filed Under: Administrator, News stories Tagged With: Australia, Brisbane, cab, Geelong West, sexual harassment, street harassment, taxi, women-only taxis

Taxi “Terror” in Australia

May 3, 2009 By HKearl

According to Star News in Australia in an article with the classy title “Taxi terror prompts a warning for women,”

“A young woman said she was forced to flee a taxi and hide in the early hours of Sunday morning after the driver became aggressive when she rejected his sleazy advances.”

She filed a report with the police and the taxi company. The police chief said he,

“was unaware of her allegations but urged taxi passengers to remain vigilant. ‘The best thing to do is not to travel alone at night and don’t get in the front seat at any time.'”

Photo from ABC News
Photo from ABC News

How realistic is it for everyone to not take a taxi by oneself? Instead of saying something about how the police force would do all they could to investigate the allegations and/or pass new measures to make sure passengers are safe with taxi drivers, he focused on putting the responsibility for safety unfairly and sometimes unrealistically in the hands of the passengers. Not helpful!

The taxi company’s response was a bit more helpful. Peter Valentine said they will investigate the woman’s allegation and that the taxi company is currently in discussions about installing scanners to facilitate “safe city taxi ranks.” Much more helpful than telling people to not ride in taxis alone.

A few months ago, I wrote a blog post about women taxi drivers and women-only taxi services and discovered that in Brisbane, Australia, there are women-driven cabs for women passengers precisely because of male drivers harassing female passengers. I’m not a proponent of women-only forms of public transportation as a long-term solution because ultimately men’s harassing behavior must end, but I am curious to find out how the women only taxi service is going.

Share

Filed Under: Administrator, News stories Tagged With: Australia, Brisbane, cab, Geelong West, sexual harassment, street harassment, taxi, women-only taxis

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