Court filings cite 400K sexual misconduct reports; Uber defends safety record

New court filings are shedding light on Uber's safety record

Court documents allege the company received a report of sexual assault or misconduct

about every eight minutes over a five-year period. According to the New York Times, unsealed documents linked to a large lawsuit show

incidents between 2017 and 2022 far exceed what Uber disclosed publicly. More than 400,000 safety complaints versus just 12,500 reported in their safety reports

Uber pushes back, saying safety remains at its core. The company emphasizes billions invested in improvements and a 44 percent drop in serious sexual assault reports since 2017

It also points out that most of the 400,000 reports were minor, unaudited complaints, a small fraction involved serious incidents

Uber also describes its safety risk assessed dispatch system which matches riders and drivers to reduce potential conflicts and claims it contributed to a 10 percent drop in misconduct reports On the litigation front Uber stresses its survivor response model

It acts on reports without requiring proof, offers a dedicated hotline and support fund

and waived mandatory arbitration for sexual misconduct claims so survivors can choose

court action. The Times also reported court documents show employee messages suggest

assaults are likely underreported, typically occurring late at night, involving intoxicated passengers and drivers with poor ratings or prior complaints. Uber also offers safety features such

as GPS tracking, in-app emergency buttons, and optional recording, but many remain voluntary

due to costs, legal, and privacy concerns. Uber asserts that data starting from 2023 will show

critical sexual assaults at their lowest level in years. For Straight Hour News, I'm Kaylee Carey

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