Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Suzanne Wrack

As any woman in the back of a locked taxi knows, Sam Kerr should never have been brought to court

Sam Kerr leaves Kingston Crown Court
Sam Kerr leaves the court after she was found not guilty in her racially aggravated harassment trial at Kingston Crown Court. Photograph: Matthew Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Any woman who has been sitting in a cab and reached for the handle to find the door locked and felt their muscles instinctively tense for a split second until they hear the familiar clink of the car unlocking, even though they have been safely delivered to their requested destination, will have had an opinion on Sam Kerr’s court case.

Drunk or sober, when a woman gets in a taxi at night, they are keeping a close eye on the route being taken, sharing their live location, messaging friends and/or partners and sharing trip details, watching the driver. In an Uber watching the driver go off the recommended route on your phone? Watching out the window as a driver turns off the route you know makes the most sense? Logical answers flash through your mind – there must be traffic, perhaps there are road closures, maybe there’s been an accident – but they do not quell a rising fear that puts you on high alert.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.