Written By: Shraddha Rupavate | Published : December 8, 2014 4:27 PM IST
The horrifying Uber rape incident that took place in Delhi has once again raised questions about women's safety in our country. Further, the revelation that the international cab service failed to perform a background check and police verification on the driver before employing him, has triggered an outrage among people, who until this incident believed that cab services like Uber are the safest option for passengers, especially women. It's possible that this particular incident could have been avoided if the service would have been more vigilant about the staff they were employing. (Read: Uber rape case: Accused driver spent 7 months in jail for sexual assault in 2011)
Responding to the outrage, Uber posted two statements from from Uber CEO Travis Kalanick on blog uber.com.
Statement 1 : 'What happened over the weekend in New Delhi is horrific. Our entire team s hearts go out to the victim of this despicable crime. We will do everything, I repeat, everything to help bring this perpetrator to justice and to support the victim and her family in her recovery.' (Read: Delhi Shamed Again: Bollywood shocked, angered by Uber rape incident)
Kalanick also mentioned in the statement that the service will now work closely with the government to set up clear background checks for drivers and staff, which at present is not being included in the commercial transportation licensing programs of the service. To make New Delhi a safer city for women, the service would be investing more amount in advancing technologies. They will be partnering closely with groups leading the way of women s safety in New Delhi as well as around the nation. (Read: 40-year old woman raped inside public toilet in Ahmedabad)
Statement 2: In another statement, the service claims safety to be its number one priority. According to the statement, Uber partners only with registered for-hire drivers. These drivers are employed only after they have undergone the commercial licensing process. They hold government issued IDs, state-issued permits, and carry full commercial insurance. Uber also has a GPS trace and record of all trips that occur on the platform information that has been shared with the authorities. Despite all these rules and regulations in place, how did Uber miss to verify the fact that the accused driver has been behind bars for seven months after being convicted in a sexual assault case?
Photo source: India.com
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