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Uber driver's creepy text message leaves Aussie passenger feeling 'violated'

Publish Date
Wed, 16 May 2018, 3:31PM
Perth man says he feels "violated" after his Uber driver sent him a "creepy text" message. (Photo/ NZ Herald)
Perth man says he feels "violated" after his Uber driver sent him a "creepy text" message. (Photo/ NZ Herald)

Uber driver's creepy text message leaves Aussie passenger feeling 'violated'

Publish Date
Wed, 16 May 2018, 3:31PM

A Perth man says he feels "violated" after his Uber driver sent him a "creepy text" message asking for oral sex.

Jordan Pavlovski, 33, said he and a colleague used the app to take a 15-minute trip to their two separate homes last Wednesday.

The hair salon owner said the driver kept staring at him through the rear-view mirror, and after dropping off his colleague first, parked in Pavlovski's driveway and watched him as he entered his home.

It wasn't until he got inside that he noticed a text message from the driver that said, "If you like giving blow jobs", with a mobile phone number attached.

"I was coming home from work and I had one of my staff members in the Uber as well," Pavlovski told the Caters news service.

"I noticed that the Uber driver kept looking back at me in his rear-view mirror, but I didn't think much of it at the time. I had my colleague dropped off first. After he got out of the car, the Uber driver became chattier and just kept wanting to talk and asking me how my day was.

"I didn't mind, but I was feeling quite tired at the time and so didn't really engage. After dropping me off, I was about to get out the car and the driver stopped me and asked me what my name was, to confirm that I was the one who had requested the Uber.

"I thought it was a little odd. Then when I began walking up to my front door, I noticed that he just stayed parked in my driveway and was staring at me as I entered my home. I thought that was quite weird.

"But it wasn't until I got inside and checked my phone that I saw that he had actually sent me a text message asking for a blow job with his phone number. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I sort of laughed it off at first.

"But then after thinking about it for a while, it just made me feel violated and gross. The whole thing was really creepy. The worst part is that he knows where I live now, which makes me feel really uncomfortable."

Uber said it was investigating the incident and has apologised to Pavlovski, who said he previously used the app 10-14 times per week but has only used it once since the incident happened. "This is something that I always hear of happening to girls, but not much to men," he said.

"I am openly gay, but that should never be an invitation. I don't know why he thought he could get away with this. It's not something that is ever really talked about, but I think it could happen more than people realise.

"There is a bit of stigma around sexual harassment and abuse towards men. I sometimes feel like it's not taken as seriously. I'm okay and I can deal with it, but I know for a lot of people, this kind of thing would have a huge impact.

"Some people wouldn't even feel safe leaving their house after something like this. I know this could happen anytime with other ride-sharing services, but at the moment I'm looking at other alternatives.

"People should report these things because who knows what else people like this are capable of. The more people ignore it, the more it goes unnoticed. Everyone should speak up."

In response to Pavlovski's complaint, and member of Uber's community operations team said they were "sorry to hear about your experience on this trip". "We'd like to assure you that we are conducting a detailed review of the incident in relation to feedback," the representative said.

"However, we are unable to provide you details of the outcome as we have a strict privacy policy which prevents us from sharing account holder information without permission."

They added that they took the safety and wellbeing of riders seriously. "Under no circumstances should an [Uber] partner behave or treat you in a way that you feel unsafe or uncomfortable," they said.

"We do not tolerate violence, sexual misconduct, discrimination or threatening behaviour, drinking or substance use in any form on the Uber app. Uber is committed to safety connecting riders and partners, and we take reports like this seriously.

"We can assure you that appropriate steps are being taken."

It comes after police this week charged a Sydney Uber driver with the indecent assault of a 21-year-old woman, who got into the car in the early hours of Sunday with a male friend at a fast-food restaurant in Kingsford.

After the man was dropped off at his address, the woman remained in the car to be taken to her home in Hillsdale. Police allege the 27-year-old driver made inappropriate comments to the woman during the trip.

When arriving at the woman's home, the man allegedly reached over and indecently assaulted her, before following her into the complex and assaulting her further before she was able to escape and run away.

The man was arrested on Monday at a home in North Sydney. He was taken to Chatswood Police Station and charged with two counts act of indecency and two counts of common assault. He was granted conditional bail to appear at Manly Local Court on 31 May.

Uber described the incident as "upsetting" and said it had banned the driver.

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