By Mary O’KEEFE

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. CV Weekly is sharing the story of a woman who has turned from victim to advocate. 

Ride-sharing has been a popular way for many people to get around town without a car of their own. It has been used as a hired “designated driver” for those who go out and drink to remove the fear of being stopped for drunk driving. Recently, though, a spotlight has been turned on how predators use this system to look for victims.

It was in the early morning hours of March 29 when Samantha Josephson, 21, a senior at the University of South Carolina, ordered an Uber. Surveillance footage shows that a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up, there were people walking around the area, Josephson got into the back seat and the vehicle drove away. Hours later, according to reports, her friends called to report her missing. A few hours later she was found dead. According to state authorities, Josephson died from multiple sharp force injuries. After a police investigation, it was found the alleged driver, Nathaniel Rowland, was not an Uber driver, or a driver with any ride-sharing service, but was instead an alleged predator.

This story is one that Carla Westlund knows all too well.  In 2017, Westlund had ordered an Uber in Hollywood after a night out with friends.

“I was on the phone with Uber. A car pulled up; I thought it was mine,” Westlund recalled. “I believe he had an [Uber] sticker on the car. Unfortunately I got into the car. He asked me for my address; I thought he was just confirming the address. I fell asleep.”

She woke up with her head being banged into the seat. The male driver, later identified as Nicolas Morales, 44, of Santa Clarita, was attacking her.

“The harder I fought the more I was getting hurt,” she said. “He ordered me to take off my clothes and he raped me.”

She added she had to accept that he was stronger than she. Then she began trying to calm him down. She wanted to convince him that she would not go to the police.

“I remembered seeing a ‘Gray’s Anatomy’ [television] episode where they said to talk to your attacker and personalize what was happening,” Westlund said.

So that is what she began to do.

“I began rambling about my life. At one point he started crying and he opened up about his life,” she said.

He asked her if she’d ever been raped before; she said no. He told her this was the first time he’d ever attacked anyone, but she found out later that was a lie.

“Then he showed remorse and it turned into a bizarre therapy session,” she said.

After a lot of talking, he ended up driving her to her boyfriend’s home and releasing her.

Morales has been charged with 27 felony counts, including rape and kidnapping. His alleged assaults spanned 15 months and seven women. In each case, he allegedly posed as a ride-share driver. Morales was in court on April 9 for a preliminary hearing, which was continued to May 9.

Westlund realized that despite the three hours of terror she faced with this man she was lucky to have walked away. Her attack was in July 2017 and now she wants to help others by being an advocate for those who have been sexually assaulted. She started working with PAVE [Promote Awareness Victim Empowerment]/Shattering the Silence of Sexual Violence.

PAVE empowers students, parents and civic leaders to end sexual violence. Since 2001, PAVE has trained more than 50,000 college students and 2,500 professionals in promoting awareness and victim empowerment. Currently PAVE maintains over 50 chapters and affiliates across the country, according to shatteringthesilence.org.

Westlund began working with PAVE and developed a safety checklist for those who use ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. “Check Ask Share Aware” are safety tips for ride hailing apps. Check the license plate, the car’s make and model, and the driver’s picture. All of this information should be shared with you by the ride-sharing company. Ask the driver to identify you by name before you get in the car. Often riders will open the car door and say are you here for and share their name. Share your location and picture of the license plate of the ride-sharing car with a friend or family member. Be Aware of your surroundings, driver’s behavior and travel route.

Next week CVW will provide information on PAVE and how the organization is helping to educate and raise awareness relating to this important issue of sexual assault. Uber has safety tips as well; visit www.cvweekly.com and click on NEWS.

  Mary Okeefe