Rideshare companies, which have made millions of people's lives easier by changing the way they travel around cities and towns, have been able to change our thinking almost overnight. These companies are the pioneers in ride-hailing or ridesharing apps. They have changed the way people think about taxis and introduced new business models that offer a better, more efficient, and less expensive deal for customers. The benefits of ride-hailing are great, but there are concerns about safety for passengers.
Concerns have been raised about the number of sexual assaults that passengers are sustaining. Uber's long-awaited safety reports in 2019 revealed that almost 6,000 sexual assault cases were reported by passengers and drivers between 2017-2018. These figures only pertain to Uber in the United States. Rideshare companies are available all over the globe. Many other companies, such as Ola (India/Australia), and Didi (China), also have issues with drivers attacking passengers.
There are many ridesharing companies around the globe, but what ties them together regarding sexual and physical assault is that they are occurring - and victims, authorities, and campaign groups are not satisfied with the response. Today, survivors of sexual assaults resulting from ridesharing are taking a stronger stance and fighting back against companies such as Rideshare companies. There have been hundreds of lawsuits against these companies. Specialist Uber assault law offices are asking for more victims to come forward to seek justice and compensation if they were assaulted while riding in a rideshare vehicle.
Uber's own safety report states that thousands of Uber passengers have been sexually assaulted while using its service. Uber has been in operation for 12 years. More passengers are reporting sexual assaults by Uber drivers.
Uber passengers are suing the company, claiming that it did not do enough to protect their safety, especially through its inspection of drivers. Uber claims that thousands of passengers were sexually assaulted while on their rides. The company could have done more to protect them.
Uber's sexual assaults are unknown due to the fact that most sex crimes go unreported. Uber reported about 6,000 cases in 2017-2018, but it is possible that the real number will be higher.
Although it is unclear how many physical assaults Uber drivers have suffered, many passengers and drivers have reported stabbings.
The statutes of limitations for sexual assault vary from one state to the next. This is the maximum time you can wait before legal proceedings are initiated. Many states have statutes that limit sex crime serious to offenders for a period of ten years. RAINN's website contains all the details about each state's time limitations.
Every sexual assault case is different and therefore the amount of compensation may vary significantly. However, Uber has been sued by passengers for large sums in sexual assault cases including one from Washington D.C. who sued the company in 2019 for $10 million.
