I felt great disdain and discouragement when I read of the incident in which a young woman was stripped and sexually assaulted at the Noord Street Taxi Rank at the weekend.

I felt great disdain and discouragement when I read of the incident in which a young woman was stripped and sexually assaulted at the Noord Street Taxi Rank at the weekend.

Firstly, this shows a lack of self-control by the taxi drivers, because if someone's attire can influence our behaviour and actions then certainly we are not in control. The barbaric act in itself is not a demonstration of power but an expression of weakness because these men could not walk away.

Secondly, we must understand that women are not accountable to taxi drivers for their selection of clothes. We have created a perception that women have to answer to strangers why they dress the way they do and this is a misconception that must be eliminated from society.

What is amazing is that fellow commuters were relegated to onlookers. We need to understand the concept of community. When we come into community, we speak on behalf of each other and we fight on behalf of each other.

We can no longer entertain the selfish attitude of each man for himself.

There must be a sense of community and a sense of belonging and if the commuters had said something the young woman would have felt a sense of acceptance and belonging. We must start to speak up and be counted.

Brandon Bailey, Gauteng