Uber Slapped with Class-Action Lawsuit over Rape, Violence

Two female riders, who would rather have their names undisclosed, hit the ride-hailing service company Uber with a class-action lawsuit, alleging rape, violence, and harassment by drivers. The two women want the company to change the screening methods for drivers among other practices.

If the women win, every female passenger that was “subject to rape, sexual assault or gender-motivated violence or harassment by their Uber driver” between 2014 and 2017 will have a right to compensation. But the women are not fighting just for the money. They also want a court to issue an injunction on the San Francisco-based company to force it overhaul its background checks.

The two plaintiffs allege that their Uber drivers assaulted them, and they accuse Uber of not taking all necessary precaution measures to prevent such incidents from happening. Instead, the women claim, the company misled them through ‘fraudulent’ practices into believing that the background checks are enough to keep criminals at bay.

Uber Misled Customers

The women’s lawyers claim that Uber’s ‘false representations’ of the safety of its service resulted in great threats to their clients’ well-being and safety. According to court papers, the taxi-app firm’s screening methods are so inadequate that they encourage a system that gives sexual predators full access to vulnerable victims.

The women noted that one of Uber’s misleading advertising includes the claim that the service is a safe option for riders that are too intoxicated to drive back home on their own.

One of the reasons Uber’s background checks on drivers are so faulty is keeping costs down, women allege. What’s more, the company has failed to keep a record of drivers with a history of inappropriate or violent conduct while behind the wheel, despite repeated reports. The plaintiffs insisted that these issues are affecting legitimate drivers, not the ‘rogue’ ones.
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