In recent hours, the hashtag #stopusinguber has gone viral on social media in Egypt following the kidnapping of a girl by a driver and an attempted sexual assault last Saturday, reminding many of the tragedy of "Shorouk Girl," Habiba Al-Shammak. Actress Abeer Sabry launched an initiative on her Facebook page to cancel the Uber app after repeated assault incidents.
She urged girls in Egypt to delete the Uber app as it has become a danger "to all of us and any girl could face the same fate as Habiba and the other girl today." She emphasized the need for tighter monitoring of Uber drivers through the installation of surveillance cameras to track rides, adding that Uber drivers should be "under the responsibility of the Interior Ministry at the very least after the repeated crimes." She concluded by hoping that women in Egypt would unite to demand the app's closure.
This came after the girl's sister posted on social media, stating that her sister was kidnapped and attempted to be raped by an Uber driver in the New Cairo desert on May 11. The full story in Arabic, as narrated by the sister: "On Saturday, May 11, my sister was kidnapped by an Uber driver. She got in with him at 9:56 from Azad Compound in Fifth Settlement heading to Sheikh Zayed. We confirmed that the driver she rode with was named Hassan in a silver Hyundai Elantra."
The story sparked widespread outrage on social media, with the hashtag spreading rapidly as many called for a boycott of Uber and accountability for the driver. One wrote: "Activate the hashtag #stopusinguber so we can fully ensure the girl's rights from the drivers and Uber company," while another said: "We look forward to soon having a section for Uber drivers in all the world's prisons."
In a statement, the Ministry of the Interior revealed on Monday the circumstances surrounding the incident reported on social media involving a driver from a private transport company who assaulted a woman in Cairo. The ministry stated that the security forces in the Cairo Security Directorate received a report on May 12 from one of the girls that while she was riding in a car "belonging to one of the smart transport applications," the driver took her to a location in the Nasr City police station area and attempted to assault her while carrying a sharp weapon, resulting in her injury; however, she managed to escape.
The ministry also added that after legal measures were taken, the perpetrator was identified and apprehended immediately, revealing that he resides in the Maadi police station area. The weapon and the car used in the incident were also seized. Legal proceedings were initiated.
In response, Uber condemned the driver's dangerous behavior, confirming that all necessary steps had been taken against the driver, including suspending his account on the app. They added that upon being informed of the incident, they connected with a family member of the victim to offer all possible support, according to Egyptian media. They also stated that they are working closely with local authorities to provide all necessary information to complete the investigation, asserting their commitment to combating "all forms of sexual assault and violence."
It is noteworthy that Habiba Al-Shammak died in mid-March after succumbing to her injuries when she jumped from an Uber driver's car in fear of being kidnapped and fell into a coma that lasted three weeks before passing away. The driver was sentenced to 15 years in prison and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds.
