March 24, 2015 10:01 PM EDT
A Philadelphia woman accused an UberX driver of rape in February, according to a report filed with the city’s police department, marking the latest sexual-assault claim against the ride-sharing service.
A 33-year-old woman claimed she was picked up in the Old City section on Feb. 6 and then raped by her UberX driver before being driven around for more than two hours and then let go, according to Philadelphia magazine, which reported Tuesday and apparently alerted Uber to the alleged crime.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our rider,” Uber spokesperson Taylor Bennett told Philadelphia . “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.”
See Uber Protests From Around the World French Taxi drivers burn tires as they protest in the southern city of Marseille on June 25, 2015 as they demonstrate against UberPOP, a popular taxi app that is facing fierce opposition from traditional cabs. Anne-Christine Poujoulat—AFP/Getty Images Police officers in riot gear attempt to flip a car back onto it's wheels at Porte Maillot on June 25, 2015 in Paris. Protesters blocked roads to airports and train stations, overturning cars and setting tires on fire. Guillaume de Senneville—Demotix/Corbis Hundreds of taxi drivers gather next to the Olympia Stadium to protest ride-sharing apps on June 11, 2014 in Berlin. Sean Gallup—Getty Images A demonstrator kicks a car, suspected of being a private taxi during a 24 hour taxi strike and protest in Madrid on June 11, 2014. Paul White—AP A taxi driver listens to speeches by his colleagues, during an Europe-wide protest of licensed taxi drivers against taxi hailing apps that are feared to flush unregulated private drivers into the market, in front of the Olympic stadium in Berlin on June 11, 2014. Thomas Peter—Reuters Taxi drivers hold a banner during a protest in Barcelona on June 11, 2014. Josep Lago—AFP/Getty Images London taxi's line up on The Mall during a protest against a new smart phone app, 'Uber' on June 11, 2014 in London. Dan Kitwood—Getty Images Taxi drivers park their cars and honk the horn in protest on Pennsylvania Avenue, bringing street traffic to a stop as they demand an end to ride sharing services such as Uber X and Lyft on June 25, 2014, in Washington. PAUL J. RICHARDS—AFP/Getty Images An Italian taxi driver distributes leaflets reading "Don't take an illegal taxi, take a white regular taxi" during a protest on June 11, 2014 in Rome. ANDREAS SOLARO—AFP/Getty Images Taxis drivers block a highway outside Paris, near Roissy on June 11, 2014, as they take part in a demonstration to protest the growing number of minicabs, known in France as Voitures de Tourisme avec Chauffeurs (VTC). Fred Dufour—AFP/Getty Images The safety of women riding in Uber cars came under intense global scrutiny late last year after an Uber driver was convicted of raping a female passenger in India. While Uber promised to promote the safety of women, the company’s efforts faced a major setback Monday, when U.N. Women broke off a partnership to create 1 million Uber jobs for women by 2020 .
In explaining the decision, U.N. Women cited Uber’s safety record with female passengers and its drivers’ lack of job protections.
Read More: Why Uber’s India Rape Scandal Is More Than a ‘Growing Pain’
[Philadelphia Magazine ]
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