Antonio Cartagena, a 25-year-old Macon, Georgia resident, was arrested after being accused of sexually assaulting a Lyft driver. Based on The Telegraph, the Duluth Police Division says that Cartagena groped a driver who was transporting him on Oct. 10, and likewise carried out “lewd acts” within the again seat of the automobile.
Police say Cartagena reached over from his place within the again seat and started inappropriately touching the 55-year-old girl who was driving for the rideshare firm. Based on the driving force, she circled and noticed that he was half-undressed and performing vulgar acts.
A spokesperson for Lyft emphasised their dedication to driver security, telling The Telegraph, “Security is key to Lyft. The habits described is reprehensible and has no place within the Lyft neighborhood or anyplace in society. We completely banned the person from the Lyft platform and have reached out to the driving force to supply our help.”
Following his assault on the driving force, Cartagena fled on foot however was later captured and held in Gwinnett County Jail on $11,400 bond, which he paid.
Lyft’s web site says Lyft connects its drivers to ADT safety in emergency conditions and likewise remotely screens rides in actual time.
Based on Worker Profit Information, two-thirds of rideshare drivers reported being harassed in 2022, and the issue was acutely worse for drivers of shade. Of the drivers of shade surveyed, 86% reported being known as a racial, ethnic, or spiritual slur.
Joan Moriarty, director of strategic analysis and campaigns on the Strategic Organizing Heart, instructed the outlet, “These statistics are simply from the final 12 months, and it’s not that one thing has modified within the final 12 months,” Moriarty stated.
“It’s that the company insurance policies of Uber and Lyft drive employees to just accept rides they don’t really feel are secure and don’t allow them to cease rides within the center in the event that they’re being harassed.”
Moriarty additionally stated that the platforms place drivers just like the 55-year-old girl in a precarious place as a result of they’ve to decide on between their security and their place on the platform.
“They actually have to decide on between their very own livelihoods and security,” Moriarty instructed Worker Profit Information.
“Drivers rely on this revenue to outlive and have their households survive. So when pressured to make these decisions, they’ll select to place themselves in danger.”
Moriarty stated that rideshare firms need to get critical about their drivers’ security.
“Each Lyft and Uber actually actively promote their passenger security measures,” she stated, contrasting passenger well-being with the shortage of consideration for the platforms’ drivers.
“Driver security will not be antithetical to passenger security, and firms are going to essentially have to take a tough have a look at their insurance policies.”
RELATED CONTENT: Lyft Introduces Characteristic To Join Girls And Non-Binary Riders And Drivers
