An Australian law firm is investigating a potential class action against Uber on behalf of women who claim to have been sexually harassed and assaulted by the company’s drivers.
Slater and Gordon Lawyers say serious questions need to be asked of the global rideshare company’s policies and practices in the wake of media reporting in the United States which found more than 400,000 Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault and misconduct between 2017 and 2022.
Slater and Gordon Practice Group Leader Cindy Bors said women should “be able to get home in an Uber safely, without feeling frightened or violated by the person behind the wheel, or left wondering whether anyone will listen and act”.
“When a woman passenger reports or alleges sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or sexual assault involving an Uber driver, the systems receiving, investigating and responding to that report matter,” Ms Bors said.
The firm has encouraged women to step forward and join the class action even if reports were not made to police or lodged with Uber in the first instance.
“Some people may have felt that their experience was not serious enough to report, or that reporting would not make a difference. We want to hear from women about what happened and how Uber responded,” Ms Bors said.
“We need to understand whether women’s experiences reveal common or systemic issues and whether a class action may be appropriate.
Depending on the outcome of the investigation and any potential class action, affected women may have an opportunity to seek compensation.”
In Australia, Uber has introduced a number of systems and initiatives which it says ensures the safety of women and enables the company to “take action” against drivers who may have perpetrated any form of crime.
An Uber spokeswoman said the company had “invested billions of dollars and countless hours” to protect the safety of passengers.
“One sexual assault is one too many, and we take every report seriously. Uber recognises that sexual violence is a serious harm in the broader community and we are committed to continually strengthening our technology, policies and procedures to protect riders,” she said.
“We have not been served with any Court proceedings at this stage. Regardless of whether proceedings eventuate, we remain committed to listening to feedback, pushing harder, and innovating more to make every trip better and safer, every single day.”