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Police: Woman gets into what she thought was a ride-share car in Allston, is sexually assaulted

Boston Police report they are looking for a guy they say picked up a woman at Harvard Avenue and Gardner Street around 2:15 this morning and then sexually attacked her.

[The victim stated] she had requested transportation via a ride share service to pick her up outside an establishment in the area of Harvard Ave and Gardner Street. Investigators believe the victim entered the vehicle at about 2:15am, believing it was the car she had requested, and was later sexually assaulted by the operator of the car. The suspect is described as a male of Middle Eastern descent, believed to be in his 30’s with a slight accent, clean shaven with short dark hair, wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Additionally, suspect may have been operating a gold-colored sedan. At this time, investigators have been unable to confirm the operator’s affiliation or employment with any ride share services in the area.

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Comments

When are these people ever gonna learn to match the vehicle's plates and driver's picture before they enter the car? I once had a drunk lady tell me I was her Uber and demanded to get into the back of my car. Why? Because my car was black, I was still in my mailman uniform, but that didn't seem to bother her.

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People who've been partying and ready to go home and sleep it off aren't thinking their best. That's normal.

Good on them for not driving.

If you want someone to blame here, blame the Uber companym for secretly forcing an illegal taxi service into the city, which, among many problems, means that drunk people will be get into strangers' ordinary unmarked cars (other than for hookups).

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In many cities - even in the US - there are people who operate cab services that are not legal cab services. Most conference organizers and travel bureaus will warn you about them (such as the VW bugs that prowl Mexico City).

There are also legit cab drivers who attack women, and there are also fake cab drivers who prey on people - for rape or robbery.

I believe Whitey Bulger may have gotten his start this way - unlicensed transport, but with robbery (and, perhaps, a few tricks on the side) with people who didn't dare report the crime.

Uber and Lyft actually give you information on who is picking you up. That's better than you get with a cab driver who refuses to stop or let you out until you pay cash.

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Drunk people weren't conditioned to get into gypsy cabs in huge numbers in Boston before Uber.

People used to get into marked, regulated, legal cabs that were recognizable even to drunk people.

I know all too well that our taxi system has problems, but Uber is something a city should be charging with organized criminal activity, not making reluctant deals with. (Politician: "Voters like Uber (mainly because Uber intentionally lied and cheated, to avoid huge medallion expense and other regulatory costs that law-abiding taxis have been paying, enabling illegal Uber to establish a fleet and user base in the first place). And they have lobbyists now.")

Don't do Uber's butt-covering job for them. They pay social media shills for that. "We, er, Uber, encourages all drunk people to check license plates!"

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Perhaps you are not a rideshare user? Uber and lyft require trade dress on front and back windows. Both driver and passengers are urged to verify the ride before it begins. Typically, the driver has a smart phone on with the Uber driver app running, which the passenger should easily see. There are checks and balances in place for both the driver and the rider. This is the victims fault for drunkenly getting into a car and not checking the plate, the stickers, or verifying information with the driver.

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Have you even used Uber or Lyft?

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...gonna STOP SEXUALLY ASSAULTING WOMEN?

There. Fixed it for you.

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You didn't fix anything. The victim (yes I said victim, there is no excuse for sexual assault) got into an unknown car with an unknown driver, that increased the chances that something bad could happen. Just as women are told not to walk alone at night and why you lock your car doors. Crime shouldn't happen but it does and you should do your best to try not to be a victim. Checking to see if the vehicle plates and driver matches the info Uber/Lyft gives you diminishes your chances of something bad happening or at the least gives the authorities a place to start investigating. Life isn't 100% guaranteed but you can do somethings to help get as close as possible.

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Well said

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I hope the long arm of the law finds him. Women may be third class citizens in your country but not here, asshole. Why do we keep siding with the criminals here?

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Where is anybody siding with criminals?

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Upon seeing the headline, your first instinct was to log in and blame the vitictim (you called her "these people"). By default, placing fault with the victim indicates you side with the criminal. The fact you felt it necessary and continue to Monday quarterback a sexual assault says something about you and our society. And it's not good.

I have to wonder...would you say any of this to the victim's face?

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1) Yes, the victim earns some blame here. Had she not voluntarily entered a car that she didn't hire, the crime would not have happened to her. Getting into someone else's car *makes* you more vulnerable. It doesn't matter if you're drunk and/or female or whether you're getting into a cab, rideshare, or your friend's car. You are in a new situation where they have more control than you do. It's beholden on you to make sure you understand that risk to yourself in the same way it's your decision to run out into traffic on the highway or not.

2) Placing some of the blame on the victim does NOT "side you with the criminal". The criminal ultimately should have told her to get the fuck out of his car and called the cops if she didn't. But he didn't. He instead knowingly attempted to take advantage of the situation once it occurred and may have even potentiated the situation for all we know by making it more likely someone would mistake him for their rideshare (pulling up by someone clearly inebriated and seemingly waiting for their hire and even saying something to her to convince her he's the car she hired...or maybe he didn't, we don't know). But even if he does all of that, unless he jumped out and shoved her in the car, she is partly to blame for putting herself in harm's way (like running out into traffic).

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