Holding Uber Accountable For Sexual Assault

Uber drivers have sexually assaulted thousands of riders according to the company’s own internal reports. Lawsuits on behalf of assault survivors claim Uber has known about the problem since 2014, when it “started charging Uber passengers an extra $1 Safe Ride Fee.” Despite this, after hundreds of millions of rides, Uber “never earmarked the money for safety or spent it on safety.”

Uber fails to fingerprint drivers or run “applicant drivers against private databases, such as FBI records,” lawsuits state. “Uber’s policy is that it will not report any criminal activity it learns of to law enforcement authorities. That includes sexual assault.” As a result, “Uber became a magnet for sexual predators,” partly because “… people who might have been prevented from driving in the official taxi industry could easily join Uber.”

In order to recruit as many drivers as possible, Uber works to keep driver standards low. Lawsuits declare, “Uber lobbies local governments to limit what is required of Uber with respect to driver background checks.” Not surprisingly, “In cities where municipalities perform the screening, such as in Houston, TX and Seattle Washington, hundreds of driver applicants Uber approved are ultimately rejected by the municipality.”

Safety Precautions Ignored by Uber

There are many things that Uber could do to reduce the risk of allowing sexual predators to drive and to warn passengers about the potential danger. “Safety precautions such as enhanced background checks, biometric fingerprinting, job interviews, electronic monitoring systems, warnings to passengers of the dangers of being attacked by Uber drivers, and cooperation with law enforcement when a driver attacks a passenger would have cost Uber money and reputational damage,” lawsuits report. “Uber decided not to implement such precautions and instead continues to place its passengers at greater risk of assault and harassment by Uber’s own drivers.”

The Fight for Accountability and Safety

Attorney Karen Barth Menzies represents sexual assault survivors. Uber continues to value money and put its reputation over the safety of riders. Survivors of sexual assault at the hands of Uber drivers have clear grounds to join others in filing lawsuits to hold the company accountable for the pain and trauma they have allowed their drivers to inflict on riders. We are here for you.

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