By Timna Jacks
It was almost 5am when Kate Miller, a Melbourne Uber driver, dropped off a drunken passenger and was instructed to take his mate home, too.
The second passenger hopped into the front seat, and as Kate drove him home, he invited her over for a drink. When she declined, he accused her of talking "bullshit".
Uber driver Kate Miller was assaulted by a passenger. She is calling for improved safety conditions for female ride-share drivers.Credit: Eddie Jim
Kate parked the car, and later told police that the man snapped open his seatbelt, grabbed her on the neck and arm, and pulled her towards him for a kiss.
He continued to grip her while she screamed and asked him to stop, she said. Eventually, he stormed off, saying "your loss, baby".
Ms Miller has since suffered panic attacks, she has had trouble sleeping, and took days off work to recover.
"I felt completely violated, I felt like my safety had been put at risk and I was too scared to work," she said.
"Whenever a guy sits in the front seat I lean over to the door, I'm aware of what he's doing and where his hands are, what he's saying, it's just made me second guess everything.”
Ms Miller says she is risking her job to tell her story to the media. She wants to shine a light on the safety of drivers - and particularly women - at the popular ride-share company.
The man was put on a diversion program and ordered to write Ms Miller a letter of apology, but she isn't satisfied.
She has formed an alliance with other female ride-share drivers on Facebook, who are calling for safer working conditions.
The rights of Uber’s “driver-partners” are being investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman, which is looking into whether the contracts are in breach of federal workplace laws.
Ms Miller is calling for tougher checks on passengers who sign up to use Uber.Credit: Eddie Jim
The drivers’ status - as independent contractors rather than employees - means that they are denied basic entitlements, and often lack adequate support in cases of assault, Transport Workers Union national secretary Tony Sheldon said.
"There's nothing more horrific than having to go out again and drive after you've been assaulted, when you have no protection and no income – you’re just forced to work."
In February Uber driver Saeed Shah claimed he was robbed and bashed by two knife-wielding people in masks. He said Uber refused to help with medical bills or the loss of the car.
Ms Miller is calling for tougher checks on passengers signing up to the app.
In her case, Uber refused to confirm if the passenger's account had been deactivated, let alone share the man’s name, citing privacy.
"We want riders to be identified properly when making an account ... by uploading a legitimate ID and maybe later down the track doing a security check," Ms Miller said.
Drivers should be able to access an emergency button on the app (already equipped in Taxify cars) and receive counselling if they are harassed or assaulted, she said.
Uber offered Ms Miller $738 for psychological services, but this was after several complaints made by phone and during visits, she said.
Another Melbourne Uber driver, Kirstie, told The Age she had been propositioned by passengers over the past six months, and once drove a car full of men who were drinking alcohol while bragging about their sexual exploits.
“I wanted to stop the car and tell them to get out, but it scared me to do that because it's four against one,” said Kirstie, who did not want to her surname published.
Kirstie drives at night so she can care for her children during the day.
But she says some male drivers accuse her and other women of risking their own safety by driving at night - the most lucrative time to work.
An Uber spokeswoman said the company was committed to the safety of its drivers and was planning to introduce an emergency button.
"Drivers benefit from many of the same transparency and accountability features that riders do, such as providing feedback and ratings for every trip and GPS records of each trip."