I take an Uber home every day, which means I’ve had countless conversations with drivers.

Many of them, especially the female drivers, have told me about times that they’ve been assaulted, threatened, or robbed while on the job.

Conversely, news stories and warnings circulate on social media and in WhatsApp groups, warning of drivers who are taking advantage of or hurting passengers.

It, therefore, isn’t surprising that the ride-hailing company has had to up their safety measures.

According to The Daily Maverick, Uber Technologies Inc. has also compiled a review of the service in the US which revealed some unsettling figures.

US customers took about 1.3 billion trips last year, Uber said. About 50 people have died in Uber collisions annually for the past two years, at a rate about half the national average for automotive fatalities, according to the company. Nine people were killed in physical assaults last year, Uber said.

Uber drivers reported nearly as many allegations of sexual assault as passengers, who made 56% of the claims. There is little comparable data on assaults in taxis or other transportation systems, and experts have said the attacks are widely under-reported. The assault claims reported to Uber ranged from unwanted kissing to forcible penetration.

The review documented more than 3 000 allegations of sexual assaults involving drivers or passengers in the US last year.

“Uber is very much a reflection of society,” said Tony West, Uber’s chief legal officer who helped spearhead the two-year research effort. “The sad, unfortunate fact is that sexual violence is more prevalent in our society than people think. People don’t like to talk about this issue.”

Uber has been subject to a number of complaints in court over driver misconduct.

The extent of sexual misconduct, while staggering, isn’t unique to Uber, said Ebony Tucker, executive director at Raliance, an advocacy and consulting firm focused on preventing sexual violence. Uber’s findings “didn’t surprise any of us,” she said. “Sexual assault is pervasive. It’s everywhere.”

While it might not be unique to Uber, sexual assault by Uber drivers is happening everywhere. In South Africa, an Uber driver allegedly sexually assaulted a 26-year-old passenger in Cape Town in 2017 in a highly publicised incident.

Social media is rife with allegations regularly, too, and complaints that the company isn’t doing enough.

Earlier this year, Uber was faced with a multimillion-rand lawsuit from passengers who claim they were raped, robbed and attacked in their cars in Johannesburg. This, from IOL:

Elias Mankgane, 26, and his three co-accused, Daniel Maswikaneng, 23, Themba Mkuwanazi, 19, and Bonga Sikhosana, 26, are currently standing trial on three counts of rape, four of robbery, three of kidnapping and a count each of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, attempted rape and attempted murder.

Following a minor setback in October, the trial is ongoing and the accused have not been sentenced yet.

Uber has tried to increase safety measures on the app which is now equipped with a ‘Safety Toolkit’.

It might not be enough to stem sexual misconduct, but it’s a start.

Stay safe out there.

[source:dailymaverick&iol]