Christina Spicer  |  December 30, 2021

Category: Legal News

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How Many Cases of Lyft Sexual Assault Have Been Reported?

Ride sharing apps are often advertised as a safe option for those who are unable or don’t wish to drive. However, Lyft and Uber sexual assault lawsuits suggest that sexual assault by rideshare drivers may be a more pervasive issue than riders have been led to believe. Uber released a major report with data of thousands of sexual assaults allegedly committed by its drivers; however, Lyft driver sexual assault numbers have yet to be released to the public by the company. Some see this as an effort to silence victims.

Lyft Sexual Assault Overview

Lyft has long marketed itself as the more socially conscious version of Uber, according to Vice. For example, in 2015, Lyft entered a partnership with the White House to offer free rides during spring break as part of an anti-sexual assault campaign.

The program was meant to make it “easier to get a safe ride home even if you’re in a new city.” The services are marketed, particularly to women, as a safe alternative to driving if they are intoxicated. But reports of Lyft driver sexual assault suggest that the service might be dangerous for vulnerable individuals.

Some advocates argue that Uber may be more user-friendly for those needing to make reports, according to Vice. Uber’s app offers a “panic button,” while Lyft’s app has a more complicated reporting process. Still, Lyft offers a variety of safety options for riders, according to a statement the company gave Motherboard and reported by Vice.

“We do not tolerate harassment or violence on our platform, and such behavior can and does result in a permanent ban from our service. We have made it a priority to continually invest in features that put riders in control of their experience,” Lyft told Motherboard. “This includes in-app photos of the driver and vehicle, with increased license plate visibility, real-time ride tracking, digital receipts, and a two-way rating system with mandatory secondary feedback.”

According to Lyft’s information on its sexual assault policies and prevention efforts, riders who experience Lyft sexual assault can file a report with the company. Passengers who are victimized can use arbitration, mediation, or file a civil lawsuit in order to seek relief. Lyft also states that riders who report an assault will not be held to any confidentiality provisions: “Whatever they decide, it will be their choice.”

How Many Cases of Lyft Sexual Assault Have Been Reported?

After Uber released a safety report in 2019, including information on 6,000 reports of sexual assault, the pressure was placed on Lyft to follow suit. But while Lyft said around the same time that it would also release a safety transparency report, it didn’t say when it would do so, according to the AP.

“Safety is fundamental to Lyft,” the company said in a statement reported by Fast Company. “We remain committed to releasing our own safety transparency report and working within the industry to share information about drivers who don’t pass our initial or continuous background checks or are deactivated from our platform. It is Lyft’s goal to make the US ride-sharing industry the safest form of transportation for everyone.”

Now, finally, Lyft has released its own safety report — nearly two years after the release of Uber’s report, and two years after Lyft promised its own report. According to the report, more than 4,000 assaults were reported between 2017 and 2019. Of these reports, 360 were over rape specifically.

Lyft has not given much explanation for why its report took so long. Uber faced some backlash after releasing its report, and it’s possible that Lyft feared similar retribution and wanted to wait until some of the reactions died down.

Lyft Sexual Assault Stats

Though Lyft has not issued data on the number of reported sexual assaults by riders, a recent survey delved into rideshare safety. According to the survey conducted by Alarms.com in October 2019, 15% of Lyft riders reported an uncomfortable experience with a driver, with 8% saying they had to call the police as a result.

In addition, 3% of respondents reported being assaulted or nearly assaulted by a Lyft driver.

Riders continue to report that they have been sexually assaulted by Lyft drivers, despite the company’s marketing claims that it is safer than Uber. In addition to the alleged assaults, riders told Marie Claire that, in many instances, Lyft was dismissive of their reports, offering to refund their ride at most.

Uber’s sexual assault reporting spurred the company to take measures to improve customer safety and help sexual assault victims. Though Lyft says it will release a similar report, the company has been reluctant to offer tools to help customers and drivers stay safe, according to Marie Claire. The magazine reported that in response to mounting lawsuits from riders who claim they were sexually assaulted during Lyft rides, the company has taken some action, including partnering with a sexual assault advocacy group, adding access to 911 from the Lyft app, and additional driver training.

However, Lyft sexual assault victims told reporters these moves are not sufficient.

“In the litigation process, Lyft has accepted zero responsibility,” a lawyer representing a Lyft victim told Marie Claire. “And the message to survivors and victims [seems to be], ‘We don’t care about you and we aren’t going to do anything for you.’”

“They didn’t even really say sorry at all. They just said, ‘OK, well we’re going to send you your money back,’” Caroline M., who reported being raped by her driver after a night out celebrating her birthday, told the AP. “I didn’t even get an email. It was crazy. They kind of just pushed it under the rug, and were like, ‘whatever.’”

Have There Been Any Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuits?

Should You File a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit“They didn’t even really say sorry at all. They just said, ‘OK, well we’re going to send you your money back,’” Caroline M., who reported being raped by her driver after a night out celebrating her birthday, told the AP. “I didn’t even get an email. It was crazy. They kind of just pushed it under the rug, and were like, ‘whatever.’”

Caroline is one of 19 women who filed a joint Lyft sexual assault suit in December 2019. Just a few months earlier, seven other women filed lawsuits alleging Lyft driver sexual assault. Many of the women claim that their Lyft driver raped them.

A different group of women had filed a Lyft sexual assault lawsuit a few months earlier, in August 2019, alleging they were raped or assaulted by their Lyft drivers, per Vice. Attorneys for the women argued that Lyft “induces passengers, particularly young, unaccompanied, intoxicated, and/or vulnerable women, to use its services with the expectation of safety.”

Should You File a Lyft Sexual Assault Lawsuit?

If you suffered sexual assault at the hands of a Lyft driver while using the app’s services, you may be able to seek compensation through a Lyft sexual assault class action lawsuit. Filing a lawsuit cannot take away the pain and suffering caused by sexual assault, but it can at least provide monetary compensation, as well as help hold the parties responsible for their actions and inactions.

Join a Free Lyft, Uber Driver Sexual Assault Lawsuit Investigation

If you or a loved one was sexually assaulted by an Uber or Lyft driver in the last two years, you may qualify to join this rideshare driver sexual assault lawsuit investigation. 

See if you qualify by filling out the form on this page for a free case evaluation by experienced sexual assault attorneys. 

Get a Free Case Evaluation

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

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