I’m sure the Saskatoon Police do a lot of good work. They’ve really cleaned up their image since the 1990s, and it’s been decades since they’ve reportedly given anyone a [deadly] Starlight Tour. Unfortunately, a new frontier of ignorant neglect has popped up. Saskatoon Police are not taking the solicitation of lone women in cabs very seriously.
“Take the cab with another person, with a friend,” said [Saskatoon police spokeswoman Alyson] Edwards.
Absurd! Victim blaming much? Also, have you ever managed to share a cab with a friend so you both end up at home while neither is alone in the cab?
Edwards didn’t even state, or the story didn’t mention, that a cabbie kidnapping a passenger for sex, then stranding them shoeless, is a serious crime.
– It’s not always immediately clear whether an incident crosses the line into the Po-Po being dirty…
“Edwards said it’s not always immediately clear whether an incident crosses the line into criminal activity. She said police work closely with taxi companies.
“In the past we have looked at removing those licences if we have had problems,” she said.”
Pathetic.
“Work closely with taxi companies”? Horseshit. Try working closely with citizens sexually harassed by gross cabbies who should be in jail! {Never trust public figures saying they are “working closely”.}
Danger Cat writes: pardon my language, but that is some fucking bullshit. Where are we living that a woman needs to travel with another person to prevent her from being sexually harassed in a cab? Yeah – that’s criminal activity. It’s called SOLICITING. It’s called HARASSMENT.
Saskatoon Police, you work for the women of Saskatoon, not a taxi company or its gross sexual violators. Having your spokesperson blame women for creating a dangerous situation, and saying it’s not clear if crime has taken place given the serious, specific, and repeated accusations, is irresponsible. It sends the wrong message to women, and the wrong message to taxi companies and their unsafe drivers.
delee83 writes:
This is a poor headline choice that incorrectly places blame on the victim. It should read “Taxi drivers accused of sexual harassment.” Despicable, completely unjustifiable behaviour.
Saskboy's Abandoned Stuff 
Here’s an unrelated case of Turkish police freaking out for being videoed.
And here’s a recent example of Saskatoon police behaving like human beings trapped inside a strange system that thinks jail is the best place for a peaceful alcoholic homeless person. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/05/10/saskatoon_police_mourn_homeless_man_they_arrested_as_many_as_1000_times.html
Sexual harassment and assault cases are very serious in nature and the authorities are correct in their operating procedures of not pressing charges unless guilt has been established beyond reasonable doubt.
And while these anecdotes of sexual harassment are quite distressing, I’ve also heard anecdotes about some female passengers refusing to pay their fare and threatening to scream “rape” if the cabbie tries to insist she pay.
Sexual harassment is just plain wrong, but in the end, most instances of sexual harassment are verbal and nothing but. If the police were to simply take a woman’s word at face value, there is the possibility of a miscarriage of justice where an innocent man might be ruined. And studies do show that some women do lie about such matters.
Innocent until proven guilty. Why must we turn the most sacred axiom of western jurisprudence, enshrined in western legal tradition since the days of William Blackstone, on its head just to please feminists?
PS
According to the article you’ve linked: “Its spokeswoman, Alyson Edwards, estimated the force has received at least five similar complaints over the past few years.”
Hardly an epidemic.
“Sexual harassment is just plain wrong, but in the end, most instances of sexual harassment are verbal and nothing but. ”
Your comment is just plain wrong. It’s just plain wrong if someone sexually harasses another person but, eh? That’s a “wrong but” not a “just plain wrong” statement you made.
5 complaints to police would indicate multiple actual offenses, since not all go reported. I don’t know the precise stats on how frequently sexual abuse goes unreported to police, but it seems reasonable to say it’s highly under reported.
“Innocent until proven guilty. Why must we turn the most sacred axiom of western jurisprudence, ”
You presume the guilt of the woman making the complaint. Your sexism shines through loud and clear, don’t worry.
The burden of proof is on the accuser to provide evidence. Pretty straightforward.
Or specifically the task of the prosecution/law enforcement.
http://metronews.ca/news/saskatoon/1165184/saskatoon-man-offers-5-rides-during-transit-lockout/