Due to the lack of time, I had to catch a ride. A cool jeep stopped. He had some bags in the back seat, and I had to sit next to him. He was 27. I wore a dress of above the knees length. He started asking strange questions, «Where are you going? Let me pick you up after work, we will go on a date to the mountains. Where do you work?» He tried to find out more about me. All this was said in a defiant tone. I was afraid not to answer, so as not to cause his anger. It was scary. I have many questions about why girls should be ashamed and feel insecure.

I returned to my hometown from a business trip. It was about 4 AM. I have not slept in almost two days. I ordered a ride on Yandex from the airport to my house in the city center. A small talk about weather was suddenly replaced by complaints that Yandex set low prices for a trip from the airport. As politely as before, I answered that the tariff has actually been increased. Previously, such a trip cost 40% percent cheaper (starting from recently, I take this route twice a week). The driver started raising his voice, swearing, and suddenly put his hand on my knee (I have to ride in the front seat, because I feel dizzy in the back seat after a long trip). He offered me to pay him the additional cost by sex. I felt numb for a minute, but then, I noticed that we were very close to my house, and grabbed a backpack (fortunately, the trip was only for two days, and there were few things with me). I ran out of the car while it was moving, and rushed into the streets (the houses create a labyrinth, which is difficult to understand for a non-local). Naturally, I complained to Yandex later. In response, I received a message, «We are sorry that you did not like the service, the driver will not come to you again».

I was shaking. I have never run that fast. I wanted to call the police, but I imagined how long it would take, and how disgusting it would be for me, so I did not call. In addition, shortly before this incident, a friend addressed the police because some guy on the street touched her butt. She was offended not so much by this situation, but the way she was treated in the police: dirty jokes, humiliation, variations of «it is your own fault». I imagined this and realized that after this, I would definitely not be able to participate in a very important conference the next day. I just washed myself in the shower for a long time. I cannot say that this particular situation strongly affected me. Compared to the possible rape, it is nothing. However, I became even more careful, rougher and braver. It makes it easier to avoid unnecessary attention, at least for me.

This happened in the summer of 2003. I recently graduated from the high school and enrolled to university. It was very hot and I wore short shorts and a tank top. I walked along Arbat, in the city center, and then caught a taxi at the Abylai Khan-Zhibek Zholy to go to my district (at that time, it was the outskirts of the city). As I remember now, the blue Volga stopped; a big adult man was inside. He was about the same age as my father. I sat in the front seat. We drove off; he began joking and staring at me. Then, I noticed that he was not going in my direction, but to some private houses district. I started asking about it, but the driver was laughing. Then, he began to touch my legs. I firmly told him to stop, or otherwise, he would regret it. I remember that I was very angry and shouted aggressively at him. I was very scared. In the end, the driver took me to my house. When I was leaving, he threatened me: «If I see you once again in shorts on the road, you would not be able to run away from me».

I was terrified: I was in shock. I did not expect the taxis to be so dangerous. After that, I never got into the front seat of a taxi again; I always sat only in the back seat, further from the driver, so that I could quickly run out in case of a danger. This experience also made me dress differently. That is, if I was with someone, I could put on a short dress, but if I had to go alone, I dressed more modestly so as not to provoke taxi drivers.

This happened in September. My boyfriend and I were attending my friend's wedding. The wedding ended at midnight. We went outside to catch a taxi. We did not own a car, and lived on different parts of the city. Therefore, I offered to take a taxi and go home alone. My boyfriend agreed, accompanied me to the taxi. I lived on the outskirts of the city. The taxi driver started asking me, «Are you not afraid to return to this district alone late at night?» To be honest, I was not afraid, and did not even understand the question, because my house was located 50 meters from the road, and it was not so far to go to it. The taxi driver dropped me off on the road. I paid and went to my house. When there were about 10 meters to my house, that taxi driver caught up with me! It turned out that he parked the car and then ran after me! He roughly grabbed my hand; his eyes were so angry; he aggressively told me, «Stop!» I remember that I looked up to the windows of my apartment. I knew that my mother was waiting for me and watching TV. I also knew that my father was not at home. I looked at the window of my apartment, and my whole life flew before my eyes. I understood that this freak was going to rape me, and maybe even kill me. In addition, there was no one on the street. Luckily, my mother seemed to read my mind and called me! I held the phone in my hand, so I answered quickly. A saving idea came to my mind! I started shouting into the phone, looking aggressively at my window: «Mom, tell my father to come out urgently! This freak is harassing me!» This took my failed rapist by surprise. He let me go, and I quickly ran into the house, slammed the door with a combination lock. I ran to the third floor, my mother had already opened the apartment door for me. I ran inside and slammed the door behind me!


I was terrified! I thanked my mother, God, fate, for the fact that she called me at this very critical moment. It was a real miracle, because she usually did not call me at this time. However, on that day, she decided to call to find out when I would be back. This call saved me from being raped by the taxi driver. After that incident, I never caught a taxi on the street again. I order a taxi. Back then, the official taxis were much more expensive than those caught on the street. However, I no longer wanted to risk my safety.

I do not know if I can say this, but still.

We decided to meet with friends and caught not an InDriver/Yandex taxi, but just a ride on the road. We got in, two girls. There was nothing attractive about our clothes. Since it was a March holiday, the driver immediately congratulated us. We were in a hurry, so we did not pay attention to his words. Then, we decided to pay for the trip right away. We did not have cash, so we decided to transfer it via Kaspi. I just asked for his phone number in order to pay. I paid. At that moment, he asked my name. Avoiding an answer, I began staring in the phone. After the money were transferred, he knew my name. He was about 25-28. His face was so tricky. Then, he started wondering if I had a boyfriend, what city I was from. I did not answer all his questions. I talked with friends on the phone to let him know that they already waited for us. Then, the question followed, «If you do not mind, let me take care of you. I will delight you with gifts and flowers». I refused and sat there in fear. How can two girls overpower a man 5-6 years older? I sat there in fear and looked around. Since he continued asking me this question, I said that I was a lesbian and took my friend's hand. The taxi driver did not believe it and said, «Do not lie; we do not have it in our country». By that time, we had already reached the destination. When we got out, he began asking us to change our mind, so we could be happy. We left quickly.


After that, I did not feel well for some time. I began thinking, «Do I look like those girls?» I did not wear short clothes anyway, did not do bright makeup. I was very ashamed of myself. Later, I forgot everything, as soon as I met friends. However, after that, I never refuse when my friends offer to accompany me. I described everything in detail, because it has to stay anonymous.

My friend told me this story. A terrible situation happened to her, and no one could help her. She ordered a taxi, the driver began asking about her life; she felt aggression from him, but since she was very tired after work, she did not pay much attention to it. The driver drove her to a dark deserted place, blocked the doors and forced her to undress. She began screaming and resisting, but this did not stop him. Then, she threatened him that she would do something to herself. It scared him and he let her go. According to her, it happened very quickly, but it seemed to her that she spent eternity in his car. She was terribly scared. It turned out, that he knew her for a long time and repeatedly stalked her near work (she worked as an administrator in a bar).


Now, she and, of course, I are extremely careful when taking a taxi, we always read the reviews about certain driver. It is necessary for me to do this now.

I took a taxi; the driver looked 26-27 years old. First, he went in the wrong direction to drive other passengers. When there was no one left, he started asking my name and my phone number. At the beginning, he said that if I needed a taxi, I could call him. I answered his questions out of fear. Then, he said that he did not answer the calls from unknown numbers and asked me to call him. He saved my number and drove to my destination. Later, he texted me. I blocked him, but I could not recover from this feeling of fear for several years.



I do not trust taxi drivers; I fear the men of this age, and fear to take a taxi.

The taxi driver harassed me. At the end of the trip, he took his erect penis out of his pants and offered to have sex instead of paying.

My friend and I were on Arbat, then, we went to a cafe to have dinner. A friend met with her boyfriend and stayed with him, so I decided to go home. It was past 11 PM. The taxis always park opposite to Arbat, along Abylai Khan Street. We constantly take a taxi there: these are private taxis, but as a rule, they work there constantly. I did not even think that something could go wrong. I called my friend when I got into a taxi, said what kind of car it was and that I was going home and everything was fine. Well, we always did that. I told my address. I lived in the Abay/Mate Zalka district then. I sat in the back seat. We went up to Abai, and another guy got into the car at a traffic light on the front passenger seat. The driver said that he was going the same direction, and he would just take him so that I would not worry. We drove further along Abai. The passenger tried to talk to me, asked where I was going, why I was alone while so beautiful, and other nonsense. I replied that I had a husband and he would meet me at home. Later, the driver turned to another road and said that, supposedly, this way was better. I know the city well, and you simply cannot get to my district by another road, only if you drive to Tole Bi. I asked to stop the car and took out 600 tenge, as we agreed. He stopped and took the money, but the guy from the passenger seat also got out. When I opened the door to get out, he pushed me back, laid down on me by force and began to touch me everywhere, tried to take off my jeans. The driver drove off quickly at this time. I started screaming, trying to escape. He tried to kiss me, covered my mouth with his palm and unbuttoned my jeans. I was wearing suede boots with high heels: I was trying to break the glass with them. It was November. This guy laid on me, touched me everywhere and when I screamed especially loud, he hit me in the face with his fist and I blacked out. I woke up on the ground, among the trees, not far from the road. The day was already breaking. I do not know how much time I was unconscious. I was covered with bruises and dried blood; the jacket was torn. Two phones, jewellery, a purse with about 40 thousand tenge in cash and cards, were gone. Then, I found my bag not far away. At least, the keys to the house were there. I tried to clean up and understand where I was. It was clear that I was outside the city. Later, I stopped a car; an adult man drove me to the police. It turned out, that I was really outside the city, near the State Thermal Power Station. I filed a statement, but even the police officers tried to harass me too and did not want to register the statement. I wanted to wash everything off myself, throw everything away, and burn both clothes and memories of this night. However, 8 years have passed, but my broken nose, and fear and hatred of men are still with me and constantly remind me of that terrible taxi ride. Stay safe.

Early in the morning, I caught a taxi to go to school (on the street, since Yandex was not popular then). The taxi driver was skinny man in his forties. During the trip, he told stories related to sex (from what I remember, he told that somewhere he saw a couple who had sex and the girl was moaning, and the taxi driver himself began to moan as a girl). The situation was as strange as possible, but then, I did not know how to stand up for myself, and continued the conversation with laconic answers. At the end of the trip, he stopped a block before the school gates (now, I would have realized that something was wrong, but then, I said that it was okay and I could walk). The taxi driver turned to me and started talking, I do not remember what anymore, and it seems that there were some instructions on how to get pleasure from sex. At some point, he just grabbed my breasts with his palms. I hit him on the hands and shamed him (probably, I even swore). I ran out of the car and ran this block to school in tears. At that moment, I did not share this story with my classmates, I do not know why. I cried a lot that morning from fear.

I felt such a weakling, because I could not state that I wanted to leave the car at the very beginning of the journey, when I realized that the taxi driver was strange. I blame myself for allowing him to treat me like that. Of course, I felt disgusting that someone could touch me without my consent. I understand that this was not rape, but it does not make it any easier. Now, after this situation, I am always defensive with such people. If I have any suspicion of the taxi driver, I sit right behind his seat and consider if I can choke him with a belt if something goes wrong :D

The taxi driver was a very old man. He made me sit on a front seat, because the back door did not work. He said that he heals people with his hands. Something like that. In Kazakh. He asked to show my belly button while driving. He began to unbutton my jeans with one hand and put his hand inside. At the same time, he distracted me by talking about healing. It took me a while to realize that this was harassment. I barely forced him to stop and ran out of the car. I went to a cafe to my friends. I told them, and I was very shocked that none of them was surprised or cared for me, as if nothing happened. However, I was shocked.

He asked to sit in the front seat, so he could take other passengers. When he was driving, he began offering to go to his place to have sex. He said that he was normal, passionate, a family man, had a wife, grown-up children. Of course, I said no. He began touching my legs, said, «Oh, what delicious chicken legs». I demanded to stop. He said, «Okay, do not get angry. I will take you to work». On the way, he occasionally touched my hips.

This is not my story, but a friend's. Honestly, I do not know if I have the right to tell it. It should stay anonymous. It happened like this: my friend got into a taxi, and suddenly, in the middle of the way, the driver put his hands on her hips, and began harassing by touching her intimate body parts. The friend was in shock, she could not say anything, she was, let me say, paralyzed. She could not say a word, as there was a terrible fear that he would take her somewhere and rape. While the driver was looking at the road, she texted a friend and sent geolocation, information about the car, which were indicated in the application for ordering a taxi. After a while, the taxi driver stopped and dropped off my friend. She did not address the police, and she is still afraid to get into a taxi.

It was about 8 AM and I was going to work in office clothes. In the middle of the way, the taxi driver turned off the main road, I thought that he was going round the traffic jam. Suddenly, he stopped somewhere among separate houses, said that his girlfriend lived here and he stopped by for her. A couple of minutes later he asked, "Will you do it with me?" I said no, tried to open the door, but it was blocked. He turned around to my seat (I was sitting in the back) and began threatening me. He said that he had a knife and that I had to obey him. He touched me (between my legs). I saw a man with a dog on the street and started screaming. However, the windows were tinted, so the man did not see me. The taxi driver started the car and drove a little further. I continued screaming; another car drove out. He got scared, opened the doors and I fell out of the car with my belongings.

After arriving at the destination, the driver demanded a kiss on the lips as payment and blocked the doors. I threw the money in his face and started shooting everything that happened on the phone. After seeing the camera, he silently let me go. After this incident, I do not use taxi services. I feel disgust for men, and fear of realizing that women are not perceived as a person who has the same rights to life and choice, as men do.

In 2015, I was a 3^rd year student and had an internship at one of the law firms. I took a taxi to work almost every day. Once, I caught a ride and, while driving in a traffic jam, had a little chat with a taxi driver, a man in his thirties. Later, the same taxi driver picked me up several more times, and I naively believed that this was an accident. As a result, at the third time, the taxi driver offered to 'chill' in the back seat of his car instead of paying. I silently got out of the car and ran away. I want to note that I received an offer to 'chill' with taxi drivers instead of payment more than once. There was another case. After the New Year's corporate party in 2016, I called Uber. I was a little drunk, so I sat in the back seat and closed my eyes. At some point, I realized that the driver was driving me out of town. I immediately called all my friends and loudly told information about the driver, the car and sent them my location. The driver silently turned around and took me to my destination. I filed a complaint about this to Uber, but they took no measures.

I thought there was something wrong with my behaviour or appearance. Of course, this was not true. However, such incidents instilled fear in me. Now I do not catch a ride, I do not talk to taxi drivers, I do wrestling and I do not get into a taxi alone if I drank alcohol.

I caught a taxi. I was wearing shorts with tights and a sweater. The driver started a conversation. At first, I did not understand that he was flirting. I politely answered his questions. He started asking where I work. I worked as a waiter. Speaking shortly, he considered me a prostitute and openly insulted me. I do not remember the exact word, but it sounded something like, «Go work well there, serve them well». Naturally, it was said with dirty smile and look. For a long time, I did not understand why he thought so, then, after a couple of years, a friend said that at the intersection where he took me, there was a secret brothel. He thought that I was going to work to the brothel.

I blamed myself for those shorts for a long time. I thought, he considered me a prostitute because of them. I was still a child, did not understand that the problem was in this driver's mind. By the way, I never sit in the front seat of a car now.

I always order Yandex.Taxi, because catching a ride is not for me (it is a matter of safety), but even I made a mistake. It was an ordinary ride, the driver told compliments and asked questions about my private life, but this seemed usual for our mentality. However, this is not normal, the driver should be silent, and not question a passenger and offer his candidacy (violation of personal space). After a while, I started receiving texts from the unknown number in WhatsApp. It turned out to be that driver. He texted, called, and then I blocked him. After a while, a request came from an incomprehensible account on Instagram. There is such a function on Instagram that helps to find an account through the phone book. I asked him to leave me alone and not to disturb. He wrote me from another account and called from other numbers. I ended up activating the «ignoring calls» function. A year has passed since then, but I still have not turned off this function. He wrote me from other numbers in WhatsApp and then I asked the question, «What do you want from me? I did not give you a reason to talk to me». Speaking shortly, he wanted to have sex with me, he liked me so much in the taxi (he remembered what I was wearing), and from that moment, he could not forget me. He said he dreamt of having sex with me; during sex with his wife, he imagined me (he was also married, and turned out to be the father of 4 children). I was shocked by this, and I understood that he was not a mentally healthy person. I said that I would tell his wife or file a statement to the police. He disappeared, but after a while, reappeared and offered me a threesome with his wife. Allegedly, he showed my photos and she liked me. I was shocked. I blacklisted him as always, but once, he wrote again, «Why do you not accept my invitation in the InDriver?» I asked, «What do you mean?» He replied that once, at 2 AM, I put a request in the InDriver from the bar to the house. He accepted our request, but we did not agree. I immediately remembered that my friend ordered a taxi with my phone that day. Then, I got angry, wrote a bunch of nasty things to him and brought in a friend who works in the police. A friend dealt with him, threatened him, and from that moment, he did not bother me anymore. This situation continued for about 3 months. Now, I try to talk less with drivers. I want to feel safe while getting into a taxi, and not to think about being raped. It is not normal!

My case will probably be the most «harmless». I look 26-28 years old, so young people often flirt with me. The taxi driver (a young man of about 20) began flirting with me. We talked, I deliberately avoided all his verbal 'tricks' and yet, he managed to ask, «What are you like when undressed?» I said it was fitness; said that I was a former athlete and I could not complain about my body. I kept my cool and decided not to follow his provocations, and yet, the boy's shamelessness, arrogance and lack of basic values amazed me.

I was sitting in the back seat; I wore a short skirt. The driver tried to get my phone number all the way, put his hand on my lap several times, and it did not bother him that he was in the front seat. I did not give the number; he gave reasons why I should, including «well, you are not 16 anymore» (implying that I am no longer an innocent girl). I did not know how to react. I tried to stop him politely. Only after the second touch of my knees, I said that he was crazy. He apologized, but I still felt disgusting. So, we got to the destination. Getting out of this taxi in the middle of the road and catching another taxi was scary, because I could run into someone worse.

I faced persistent and unpleasant attempts to get to know each other closer in a taxi before, but at least, it was without hands. That time, it was especially unpleasant; I blamed myself for not giving a more strict reaction. Since then, I never catch a ride on the street when I am alone. Even if I have to go not far away. You can file a complaint in some Yandex.Taxi, at least.

It was autumn: November 7 or 9, I do not remember the year. Since I could not go by bus after work at 8 PM (it sucks), I caught a taxi at the bus stop. On the way, he began asking what I was doing on such a cold day. I did not tell him that I was working; I said that I was visiting someone there. Not reaching my destination, he stopped the car between the houses of Aksai-1 micro district, under the trees. He did not want to let me out of the car, blocked the doors and said something in a trembling voice. He offered to go somewhere to rest and have fun. After that shock, I still do not remember what he said exactly. I nervously asked him to open the door. He wrapped his right hand or hid something in it, I still did not understand. I saw three girls passing by, opened the window and screamed for help. They immediately began to pull the door; the taxi driver unblocked it, possibly being scared. Frightened, I thanked the girls and ran away to some house. It was a long way to go to my home. When I walked home, I thought everything over in my head and decided never to take a taxi again.

The driver began harassing me: he put his hand on my leg, and touched between my legs, despite my refusals. I pushed his hand away and strictly demanded to stop. I had to hit him on the hand with the keys.

Winter. I was at the New Year's corporate party in the restaurant. When I went into the dressing room, I noticed a strange man in the hall. For some reason, I did not like him right away. Surprisingly, I did not drink that day and was sober. At the end of the banquet, I ordered cars for everyone. I did not even understand how I remained alone. It was 4 AM and very cold. I caught a ride. To my surprise, the driver was the man I saw in the lobby. We agreed on the price with him. Then, he asked to go to the gas station around the corner. He got out of the car, and I noticed that he was calling someone, but the car was not refuelling. I quietly opened the window and heard a conversation as he said to someone that he found «one» and would bring her. I was so scared. I did not know what to do. I understood that he was talking about me. I quickly got out of the taxi; he wanted to stop me saying that we would go now. However, I did not even listen to him; I just ran to the road, where I caught another taxi. Looking back, I saw that he had not refuelled his car and left. It is scary to think where he would take me then and what would happen to me. Stay safe, girls.

I got into an official taxi that I ordered by phone. It was not the night, but it was already dark (winter, after 7 PM). The road partially went through a non-residential area. The taxi driver began asking private questions, such as was I married or not, what I liked in sex, then, on a straight line, he asked, «Do you fuck in the ass?» Sorry for the details. I was shocked; I do not even remember what I mumbled in response. Passing the empty field, he threatened, «I will take you to the steppe now, I will fuck you, and no one will do anything to me, I will say you wanted it». Perhaps, a phone call saved me. I said on the phone that I was going home, the taxi driver was inadequate, and a taxi was ordered from a certain taxi company, from a certain address. Apparently, the taxi driver got scared and began saying that he was just flirting and joking. At the nearest stop, I asked to drop me off. In general, I was terribly scared.

There were many inappropriate and unpleasant comments about the appearance, obsessive and annoying questions about private life. As a result, the ride ended with a joke about «bride kidnapping» and a wedding, and the disturbing comment, «I now know where you live». Perhaps, it will seem to someone that this is not a harassment, but we must understand that it has many forms and manifestations, and I felt very insecure.

A huge jeep picked me up. I wanted to sit on the back seat, but the driver, a man of about 70 years old, asked to sit on the front seat. He chatted with me, then, I felt his palm slap on my leg above the knees (it was summer and I was wearing mini shorts). After that, I was sitting motionless, because the brain chose to freeze out of «hit, freeze or run». After that, I got out of the car and walked in my direction in complete silence.

I was terrified that a man older than my father, whom I looked at as a good uncle, took advantage of me.

I caught a taxi on the Talgar highway. The driver, middle-aged man, stopped and asked me to sit on the front seat, since some things occupied the back seat. He chatted all the way. Having almost reached the destination, Sayakhat, and knowing that I would leave, he said that he had magical abilities to recognize the women's diseases. He said that, supposedly, I suffer from «female diseases». Saying that, he grabbed my crotch. While he was holding it, we got to Sayakhat and I got out of the taxi almost dead from fear.

He began asking strange questions: how old I was, how much money I made, if I studied in 4^th year, if I was married of lived alone. (It was asked not just to talk, I felt something rotten in it). I ordered a taxi from the university to Khan Shatyr. It was around 7:30 PM. There are two roads to the Khan Shatyr, one straight and another one behind the Khan Shatyr. The houses construction takes place on the back road, and there is no electricity. He offered to go exactly by the dark road; supposedly, there were no traffic jams. I began asking stupid questions all the time, talking, but not answering. Thank God, I persuaded him to go by the straight road. To drop a passenger off near the Khan Shatyr, a driver needs to stop at a deserted and unlit parking lot. In order not to drive in there, I jumped out at the bus stop when the traffic light turned red. I was lucky that people standing at this stop also wanted to catch a taxi.

I ordered a taxi via the InDriver application. The driver did not come alone. I did not like it right away. However, there was no time to wait for another taxi. I sat in the back seat and put my eyes on the phone. While we were driving, the driver and his friend discussed me, thinking that I did not understand anything. I am Russian, but I speak Kazakh quite well. They talked about my clothes, my makeup. When one asked the other to check if I had pink hair everywhere or just on my head, I could not stand it anymore and told them everything I thought about them. The most amazing thing is that they were already adult men. One had a picture of a little girl on the screensaver of his phone. Apparently, his daughter. However, I am also someone's daughter, someone's wife or mother.

He was a man of 55-60 years old, Kazakh, worked as a driver. The rain was pouring; the driver began talking about the weather. I did not start a conversation with him, but he began telling me about his first love, youth, about sex with her; I was silent. Then, he said that he was dating a 19-year-old student and invited me to take ride around the city with him, if was not in a hurry. I got out at my destination, and that was the end of the story. However, I am not sure whether this story can be considered harassment, since he did not touch me.

I caught a taxi at Emtsov-Ryskulov to go to Vodnik micro district. The guy asked too private questions right away, «Are you married? Do you have children? Why do you not have children?» At one point, I said that it was none of his business, because it was too personal to discuss with a stranger. He got mad and drove too fast while insulting me. He said, «If you were a boy, I would have dug your head into the ground». I got scared and began arguing my words saying that even my brother does not ask me why I do not have children. I got out of the taxi when he stopped.

The taxi driver did not hesitate to unbutton his pants and began to move his hand there actively. He stared at me occasionally glancing at the road. I sat in the front seat. At first, I thought he was an epileptic, but then I realized what was going on. The thought was spinning in my head, «I need to leave the car urgently!» I asked to stop, but he drove on in silence. When his action was over, he dropped me off. My slow phone went off at the very moment when it was so important to call my relatives and tell them where I was. I am glad that nothing more happened, but it is scary if he continues doing it in front of other girls. I was frustrated and did not realize what I should have done immediately. Now, remembering that event in my head, I imagine that I would have acted differently. The situation was complicated by the fact that he was driving along an empty highway. Then, it was my usual route, since I lived outside the city and went to the city to work. I often had to go to work by 5-6 AM, when there were not so many cars on the road. If I would find myself in such a situation again: a) I would never get into the car alone, would find trusted companions, cooperate with the same people who needed to go to work in the city in the morning; b) there would always be a working device and a power bank with me; c) I would get up even earlier and use public transport; d) if it would be impossible without a taxi, then I would choose only an official taxi.

After a while, I realized that I was very lucky that the taxi driver decided to satisfy his sexual lust in this way. This situation affected me by the fact that now I follow three rules: 1. Call an official taxi. 2. I connected the trip reporting to my e-mail that can be accessed by my relatives. 3. I do not get into a suspicious car (there is someone else in the car besides the driver, they are not allowing to sit in the back seat, it smells of smoke, but not tobacco, a car different from what is declared in the application, etc.)

The first time, a bad situation happened in 2018, but then, the driver did not have time to do anything. I left work late and called Yandex.Taxi. The driver deliberately drove past my house and drove on. When I asked why he did it, he just kept silent and drove on. Then, I started calling my boss and explaining the situation. Only then, the driver silently turned around and brought me back. Another situation happened in 2020, a month ago. We met with friends, and I called Yandex.Taxi again. When we got to the destination, the taxi driver said that I got dirty. I asked where. He pointed to my back. Since I did not see this myself, I said that my friends would help me with that and got out of the car. He immediately jumped out, caught my hand, and allegedly began to shake off the dust from me, touching my butt. I tried to break free and insisted that I did not need help. He ended up touching me until I had a breakdown. It happened literally in 1-2 minutes, but it felt like it lasted forever.

I do not know if this is considered harassment or not, but if at that moment the car was blocked, I do not even know what could have happened. In theory, I think that I was wrong. It was during quarantine, the moment when nothing worked, when every passer-by was stopped, and all the living creatures disappeared at night. At 12 AM, I went with my aunt to the hospital. We have no one but each other in the city, so there was no one to take us there and bring us back. We arrived at the hospital near the Expo. On the way back I was waiting for a taxi for half an hour. There was no taxi, so I decided to walk to Sauran. A 30-year-old man stopped, offered to give me a ride. It was about 15 minutes ride. When he drove me, he asked if he could kiss me. I got scared, said no, he started turning around and asking. At that moment, I prayed to all the gods for door to be unblocked. I ran out and hid among the houses.

I was waiting for my friends in the park, but they did not come. I waited for a long time; the buses stopped running. Then, I did not have a phone. I took a taxi. Mercedes 190. I only now know that it was 190. A big man in a jacket, Kazakh. We drove quietly in silence, and he abruptly put his hand to my chest and said that he would give me 100 dollars for virginity. Then, the traffic light turned red at the intersection of Ryskulov and Adyrbekov (two stops from my house), but the road was not the one that led to the destination. I ran out of the taxi and ran in the oncoming traffic lane so he could not follow me. I remember nothing about how I got home then.

I studied in high school then. I came to Astana to visit my cousin. We caught a ride in the Ishim direction. If I am not mistaken, the driver was in his forties. After we got in, he started questioning us. I answered as briefly as possible. He asked my name, as we just arrived at the destination. At that moment, he looked at me with a smile, asked for my number, and offered to take a walk together. From fear, my heart sank into my heels. I grabbed my sister and said, «No, please stop here, we will get out». We ran out of the car; my heart was beating fast; we looked around and went straight ahead at a high speed. Then, I began thinking about my responsibility, because I had a very young sister with me, and I took her with me and was responsible if something happened to her. Now, I still do catch a ride, since there is no choice when you are in a hurry. However, after this incident, I never engage in conversation with the driver, and try to sit behind the driver. This is the real story that I went through. Thank God, nothing bad happened.

Thank God, this story is not mine, but the experience of my fellow villager. She was my teacher's sister-in-law and worked as a waitress in a cafe. Each time she returned from shift at 2-3 AM. On one of those days, a taxi driver raped her. The next morning, rumors of this spread in the village. The girl's parents said that she went to the city to study. We assumed that she could not stay in the village because of shame. This is an old story. Thank God, we have not heard anything like this after this incident in our village, but parents use this case as bad example all the time. In the evening, we are not allowed to be outside, this is our mentality. This sad story of an innocent girl served as a lesson for all the other girls in the village.

He was 36, and of another origin. He did not stop trying to get to know me closer, did not let me out of the car. Then, he offered to ride around the city, was interested in my private life. He said that love knows no age and that he was single, had a car and a house, and that nothing would interfere with us.

It was around 6-8 PM. It was winter, dark and frosty outside. While waiting for the bus, my friend and I decided to catch a ride. Everything was fine while we talked with a friend. A little later, a friend got out at her house, and I was left alone with the driver. A minute later, I called my brother, said where I was and asked to meet me. There are many traffic jams in Almaty. We stood in traffic for a very long time. Then, he started asking very strange questions: my name, age, where I studied. To be honest, I started lying out of some kind of fear. I did not answer a single question clearly and truthfully. He began staring at me in the rearview mirror. In each traffic jam, he turned back and looked straight into my eyes. It even seemed that he held out his hand, but then, my brother called me and I started talking to him. This is how the conversation with my brother saved me. Judging by the voice, wrinkled hands and appearance, I understood that the driver was between 30 and 40 years old.

When I enrolled to the university, an old man harassed me. I was shocked and did not understand what it was, because this was the first time I encountered this. Old people in Almaty are dirty and spoiled. I wish the freshmen girls were more careful.

This story happened to me 3 weeks ago. I was very late for school and decided to order a taxi via the InDriver app. A middle-aged man took the order. Then, personal questions began, such as, "Where are we going?" "Why?" "How old are you?" "You look older, why do you need to go to school?" "Do you have a boyfriend?" I got angry and started lying. He asked for a phone to make a call, but I refused. Then he smiled and said, "I wanted to save your number". I got very angry and said, "Are you crazy? It would be better to get me to the destination faster". He got angry and began saying something about me being "ill-mannered, just like today's youth" and some other words incomprehensible to the mind. He sat there and was angry. I was very sorry that I got into this car. This was the first time. Now, I am always afraid to get into a taxi. Why do people like him allow themselves to behave in such a way? We do not have to live in fear, only because they suddenly wanted to know us better. I was brave then. After I got out, I felt like crying. I felt terrible thinking that this situation could be considered normal.

I was late for class and had to catch a taxi. A black car stopped. I told him the address and, after his consent, sat in the back seat. At first, he stared at me in the mirror, and then asked, "Are you late for class?" I said yes, and he immediately said, "I will take care of it and take YOU to the university". I refused. A few minutes later, he started asking about my name, age, year of study. I got rid of him only because I lied. After I got there, I handed him the money and got out. He was a big man of about 25-28. All the way, I thought that they steal the brides in the south and sat there frightened. The main thing was that it was over.