A Manchester cab which suggested that freshers should carry information indicating where a driver can frisk them for money including in a passenger’s bra, boxer shorts or thong has been slammed.
The controversial tweet from Club Cars Manchester read: “I think these should be handed out during freshers week this year!”
Although written with a smiley face emoticon, suggesting that the tweet was meant in jest, it has riled a number of campaigners who argue that it trivialises sex assaults.
CEO of Women’s Resource Centre Vivienne Hayes said that she was surprised that a company would tweet such a message.
She told MM: “It is deeply alarming that such an irresponsible tweet was sent from this company. Are they really not aware of the level of sexual assaults occurring, and how this promotion of intrusion on a person’s body ignores all the basic safety advice we would wish to see cab companies giving?”
Club Cars Taxis, which pride itself on providing a ‘professional and reliable service’, faced some criticism online when people questioned whether it was in good taste.
Josh R who tweets under the name @technicalfaul tweeted: “Inappropriate RT @club_cars_taxis “I think these should be handed out during freshers week this year!”
Ian Forrester, who tweets under the name @cubicgarden, tweeted: “Enough said, they will never get my business.”
A Club Cars spokesman, who didn’t wish to be named, said he had only shared the graphic as a bit of fun.
He said: “We just retweeted it, it’s not something we have produced we just found it quite funny and light-hearted.
“We’re obviously sorry if anyone was offended, we thought it was quite light amusing and actually didn’t think about that side of things. It’s quite sensitive if you look at it that way.”
Picture courtesy of Craig Sunter, with thanks.
