Uber and Lyft are warning investors that mounting claims of sex crimes in rideshare backseats could have negative impacts on the companies’ reputations and bottom lines.
Amber Moye, a young mother from Brooklyn, is one of the passengers now suing Uber – alleging her driver raped her after she became intoxicated and fell asleep in the backseat in 2018. Adam Slater, Moye’s attorney, says there are common sense steps rideshare platforms have failed to take, which would discourage sexual predators from getting behind the wheel.
"Sexual assault is a horrific crime, and we take every report of this nature very seriously,” the spokesperson wrote. “While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we are deeply committed to the safety of all users on the Uber platform.” Uber offers a “Women Rider Preference” feature in select countries, but the company declined to say if or when drivers and riders in the United States would be able to indicate a gender preference.