A Massachusetts man has been arrested after allegedly picking up a woman leaving a Boston nightclub and sexually assaulting her.
Qabel Najeeb of Worcester is accused of picking up the woman outside of Bijou on Stuart Street Saturday morning, according to court paperwork. Police said she believed he was her Uber driver.
The woman told police Najeeb drove her past Boston Common and came to a stop near Storrow Drive. She said she remembers seeing the back of brownstone apartments as he put a T-shirt over the window and raped her.
Police used surveillance video to track down Najeeb, who was arrested Sunday night and charged with rape. He was held on a $10,000 bail and is due back in court in November.
"Every time we see a story like this, it emphasizes how important the work we do is," said Casey Corcoran, who heads up prevention outreach and education at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center.
The center is focused on providing free and confidential services, as well as tips for prevention. Corcoran said rideshare safety has become part of the conversation.
"Of course we want people to be safe. Check in with friends. Check the license plate, of course. But that's never going to stop every incident," Corcoran said. "What we need to do is try to stop sexual violence before it happens, to provide education and change policies."
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Some said what needs to change is having more late-night transportation options available in the city, including the MBTA.
"It would help to be with a bigger group of people, but things can happen anywhere. Some people are evil and have evil intentions," one rideshare user said.
Those looking for support after experiencing sexual violence are encouraged to reach out to the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center's free hotline at 1-800-656-4673.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673, and Massachusetts provides this list of statewide and resources for sexual assault survivors.
