Uber Reports Nearly 6,000 Sexual Assault Incidents Over Two-Year Period
A new safety report from Uber reveals nearly 6,000 claims of sexual assault in the United States between 2017 and 2018. The company releases this data as part of an effort to increase transparency around rider and driver safety.
Uber releases a comprehensive safety report that details nearly 6,000 claims of sexual assault in the United States over a two-year period. The report covers incidents that occur between 2017 and 2018, categorizing the claims into five types of non-consensual sexual contact and assault. This disclosure represents a major step for the ride-sharing company as it attempts to address longstanding criticisms regarding passenger and driver safety.
The data shows that the vast majority of these reported incidents involve passengers as victims, though drivers also report experiencing assaults. Uber emphasizes that the reported numbers account for a very small fraction of the total trips completed during those two years, which number in the billions. Company executives state that publishing these statistics is essential for holding the platform accountable and identifying areas for improvement in their security protocols.
In response to these findings, Uber details several new safety features that the company currently implements to protect users. These measures include continuous background checks, an in-app emergency button, and technology that verifies rider identities. Despite these technological safeguards, safety advocates maintain that ride-sharing companies must continue to refine their reporting processes and do more to prevent such severe incidents from occurring in the first place.