“Every 8 Minutes” is a campaign led by The New York Times and journalist Emily Steel to put a spotlight on the growing problem of sexual assault during Uber rideshare services, namely, Uber drivers sexually assaulting their passengers. According to internal information, Uber received a report of sexual assault or sexual misconduct in the U.S. about once every 8 minutes between 2017 and 2022, or about 7 reports every hour.
To make matters worse, according to the campaign, Uber took intentional steps to delay or curtail its own efforts and programs that were meant to address the problem of sexual assault carried out by or against its drivers. This lack of action – or apparent deliberate action in the opposite direction – is why the rideshare giant is now facing waves of litigation from riders who said that they were sexually abused while using an Uber.
According to the campaign, Uber exhibited a long history of negligence regarding the issue of sexual assault, such as:
- Allowing someone to keep working as an Uber driver even after the company was provided with credible evidence that the driver had kidnapped and sexually assaulted a rider.
- Preventing employees from reporting reports of Uber driver sexual assault to the police, even in cases where the driver admits to the criminal act.
- Refusing to disclose the aforementioned “no-police-report” policy to riders, including one woman who said the company intentionally deterred her from talking to the police directly.
- Ignoring countless reports of sexual offenders posing as Uber drivers to commit sex crimes against unknowing passengers.
- Arguing that “imposter driver” incidents involving passenger sexual assaults are entirely unrelated to the rideshare platform and should not be considered when considering safety statistics.
Overall, Uber is making more moves to distance itself from any liability for the sexual assaults that are carried out by its drivers and imposter drivers. The “Every 8 Minutes” campaign aims to bring these changes to more people’s attention and to help them understand and utilize their rights. By speaking up together, survivors can stand strong as they become plaintiffs.
At Dreyer Babich Buccola Wood Campora, LLP, we are looking into reports of sexual assault carried out by Uber drivers and how the rideshare company could be liable for the harm, especially if it intentionally took steps to get between injured riders and justice. We believe that the “Every 8 Minutes” campaign has real potential to help people and further the cause of protecting them, so please click here to learn about the campaign and see how you can participate directly in it.
If you want to know more about your rights or think you have the grounds to take legal action, you can call (916) 999-9132 to arrange a no-cost consultation with our team. We have a long history of fighting major corporations, including rideshare companies and their insurers, in and out of court, so you know that you can trust your case with us.
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