Uber's 'Women Drivers' Option Is Just the Start of the Sexual Assault Reckoning It Needs

"Last year, the world's largest rideshare company, Uber, disclosed 12,522 instances between 2017-2022 of what it deemed "serious sexual assaults" that occurred in the course of paid rides. A sobering number, to be certain, but one that was ultimately only scratching the tip of the iceberg. Subsequent reporting revealed that there were actually more than 400,000 total trips during this period that resulted in reports of sexual assault and less serious "sexual misconduct.""

"That's what happened to Uber in early February, with the settlement of a landmark civil case in which the rideshare company was found legally responsible for a 2023 assault, and ordered to pay $8.5 million to a woman who said she was raped by one of its drivers. It was notably less than the sum initially sought by the woman's lawyers, and the jury involved did not find Uber to be "negligent or have defective safety systems," but it's still a massively important precedent because the jury found that the driver was functioning as an "apparent agent" of the company, making Uber liable for their employee's actions."

Uber disclosed 12,522 serious sexual assaults between 2017-2022, with over 400,000 total sexual assault and misconduct reports during this period. The actual number of incidents likely exceeds reported cases, as many victims never formally report. While Uber claims no tolerable level of sexual assault exists, the company frames incidents as statistically insignificant given millions of daily rides. In February, Uber settled a landmark civil case for $8.5 million after a jury found the company legally responsible for a 2023 driver assault. The jury determined the driver functioned as an apparent agent of Uber, establishing that the company cannot evade liability by classifying drivers as independent contractors.

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