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.”
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’
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