In the last year there were 121,113 sexual offences committed in England and Wales, of which 41,150 were rape (ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending March 2017).
One in five women in England and Wales has experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16 (ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, January 2013) and women are nearly five times as likely to have experienced sexual assault as men (ONS Crime Survey for England and Wales, year ending March 2016).
The number of rape cases recorded by the police has risen by 15% compared with the previous year (year ending March 2016).
In regards to sexual attacks committed by Uber drivers in London, there has been a rise of 50% on the previous year.
Uber drivers have been accused of 48 serious sex attacks this year in London.
But Uber sexual attacks are not just a problem in the capital, many such attacks, including rapes, have also taken place outside London.
Serious sexual assaults have been reported to at least six police forces outside the capital, according to data released under freedom of information laws, revealing the scale of Uber's security problems.
Forces in Greater Manchester, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Avon and Somerset have recorded 13 sex attacks by Uber drivers over two years.
Greater Manchester police recorded three alleged sexual assaults and one alleged rape by Uber drivers, while South Yorkshire police investigated one alleged sexual assault plus an alleged rape. West Yorkshire police recorded three alleged sexual offences involving Uber drivers, while Avon and Somerset investigated two and Warwickshire and Leicestershire each recorded one.
The true number of cases nationwide could be much higher, as 20 of the 45 forces across Britain asked by The Sunday Times for information on Uber’s public safety record either refused to provide figures on the grounds of cost or did not respond. Plus we mustn't forget that only 20% of rapes are actually reported to the police (Met P.O.P. report Clapham)
Many serious sexual assaults are recorded as assaults against the person. Eleven forces in total revealed that they had recorded crimes by actual Uber drivers, including violence against the person, theft, handling stolen goods and drug offences.
The figures were released as Uber fights to keep operating in the capital after Transport for London (TfL) decided not to renew its licence.
The announcement led to speculation that councils across the UK would follow London’s example.
TfL bosses accused the company of failing to ensure passenger safety after the number of alleged sex attacks involving Uber drivers in London rose 50%, to 48, in the 12 months to February 2017.
Other factors such as the driver accepting the jobs directly in vehicle, rather than the operator, plus the companies refusal to be open and transparent about their operating system is also a major factor in TFL's decision not to relicense.
An Uber spokesperson said: “Drivers who use our app are licensed by a local council and have gone through the same enhanced DBS checks as black cab drivers and others.
Again, this is a lie as TfL have admitted 13,000 Uber drivers have produced fake DBS certificates
Uber went on to say, "We take any allegations of this nature seriously, working with the police and preventing drivers using the app while any investigations take place. Our GPS technology means that every trip is electronically tracked and recorded.”
But in a letter to TfL inspector Neil Billany said that sex attacks reported to Uber have not been passed on to the Met police, resulting in one predator commuting subsequent attacks, that could have been prevented.
Experiencing a rape or sexual assault is traumatic, and it can take a lot of courage to talk about what happened.
Getting support is an important part of surviving and moving forward with your life.
You might be able to get support from a trusted friend or family member, but there are also organisations that can help. You can speak to your GP about getting help, or talk to a support worker at an organisation like Victim Support.
Whoever you decide to talk to, remember you don’t have to face this alone.
1 comment:
Nobody cares Jim. Rape is a normal part of British society today. Only celebrities are allowed to be victims, and they're the only rape victims the general public want to hear about!
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