Uber Faces Over 400,000 Reports of Sexual Misconduct in Five Years, First Trial Set for September

Uber, a ride-hailing service, has faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving 400,181 incidents between 2017 and 2022, according to confidential court documents reviewed by The New York Times. These documents are associated with an extensive class-action lawsuit against the company. As reported by the Los Angeles Times, over 1,600 cases have been consolidated into one suit this year, with hundreds of customers accusing Uber of negligence in background checks for drivers, failure to report incidents to authorities, and allowing sex offenders to remain on the platform.

In its biannual safety reports spanning 2017 to 2022, Uber disclosed only 12,522 of these incidences. Hannah Niles, Uber’s US head of safety, explained the discrepancy, stating that most of the reported 400,000+ cases remain unverified and may not necessarily meet the criteria for sexual assault. The actions cited often consist of less severe and non-physical behavior such as inappropriate comments, flirting, staring, or lewd language.

Over time, Uber has introduced numerous safety features aimed at safeguarding both riders and drivers (see image below). Most recently, the company started testing a “women preferences” feature in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, which allows female passengers to match with female drivers, and vice versa.

However, the effectiveness of these safety measures remains uncertain.

Niles referenced a study indicating that over half of women in the US have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime, expressing Uber’s recognition of this pervasive and concerning issue. She also mentioned that approximately 6.3 billion trips were completed in the US between 2017 and 2022, with the reported cases accounting for a minuscule 0.006% of those. Nevertheless, Niles emphasized to The New York Times that there is no acceptable level of sexual assault.

Uber has settled numerous sexual assault cases privately; however, as reported by The New York Times, the first trial for a sexual assault case against Uber is scheduled to begin in September this year.