"Why didn't she ask the driver who he was here for?"
"How did she not recognize the car was different than the Uber she ordered?"
Samantha Josephson has become a common name among college students after her disgusting murder. Samantha, a 21-year-old college student, was out at a bar with her friends. When she was separated from them, she called an Uber to take her home. But she did not get in the right car and never made it home. Recently, I have seen a lot of bashing of Samantha Josephson and her friends regarding her murder.
But why is anyone being blamed besides the man who murdered her?
Yes, maybe if her friends hadn't left her, it wouldn't have happened. Yes, it was avoidable. But I'm tired of women being expected to take so many extra precautionary measures to stay safe. Women should not have to feel the need to constantly look over their shoulder whenever they go out. And it is so frustrating that the world we currently live in has to teach women how not to fall victim to traps like a fake Uber ride.
As Samantha's friends and family are going through such intense emotional turmoil, no one should be blaming anyone for the events that unfolded that night. It was a tragic murder by a cold-hearted man who would have TARGETED ANY WOMAN.
Even if we do everything right when we go out, even if we follow every safety precaution, we are still at risk of being targeted. That's just the unfortunate world we live in. So once again, THERE IS NO ONE TO BLAME BUT THE MURDERER.
I'm sorry to all the women in the world that will avoid going out because of these events. I'm sorry that we can never feel safe, even when we're just trying to hang out with our friends. I'm sorry that everyone expects YOU to change your ways instead of identifying the real problem.
No, we shouldn't have to be so cautious whenever we do anything outside of the house. But Samantha Josephson's murder proves that, unfortunately, we need to be.
ALWAYS DOUBLE AND TRIPLE CHECK YOUR UBER. That means ask for their name, who they're here for, check the car, and check the license plate. And please never let your friends Uber alone. No matter how badly you want to stay out, a friends life isn't worth an extra hour of drinking.
