A woman waiting for an Uber was deceived by a man posing as her driver. Her experience raises important questions about sexual violence, victim-blaming, safety and perpetrator accountability.
Video courtesy of A Current Affair on Channel Nine
Jess was waiting for an Uber.
A man pulled up posing as her driver.
She got into the car believing she was getting into the rideshare she had ordered.
Within minutes, she realised she was in danger.
There is something important about how we talk about cases like this.
Jess was not harmed because she "wasn't careful enough".
She was deceived by a man who exploited an ordinary situation and her reasonable expectation that the person collecting her was her driver.
Nasir Kicho later pleaded guilty to sexual assault offences involving three victims, including a teenage girl.
The responsibility belongs with him.
Yes, we can talk about rideshare safety. Checking a registration number, confirming the driver's photograph and using in-app safety features may reduce risk.
But prevention cannot continually mean teaching women how to anticipate every possible way someone might choose to target them.
Women should be able to wait for a rideshare.
Women should be able to get home safely.
Women should not have to approach every ordinary interaction wondering whether the person in front of them intends to harm them.
Safety advice has its place.
But accountability must remain where it belongs - with the person who chooses to deceive, intimidate, assault or harm another person.
That is where the conversation needs to start.
