Posted in News on May 26, 2020
The last thing that anyone should ever have to experience is a sexual assault occurring in an Uber vehicle. Uber touts its safety measures, but that does not change the fact that sexual assaults have occurred inside their vehicles. If you or somebody you love has been sexually assaulted in an Uber vehicle, there are various steps you can take to ensure that you are cared for and that you obtain justice for what happened.
What did the Uber report reveal?
Rideshare services like Uber have long struggled with how a handle sexual assaults that occur in their vehicles. While the company does conduct background checks on their drivers, that will not necessarily stop an instance of sexual assault from happening. A report that was recently released by Uber showed that the company received nearly 6,000 reports of sexual assault in 2017 and 2018. Out of those instances, 460 were reports of rape. Uber reported that 92% of the rape victims involved were passengers and that 7% were drivers.
Uber does deserve some credit for transparency for releasing these reports. Other rideshare companies have not released a comprehensive report of sexual assaults that have happened in their vehicles. However, if you do experience a sexual assault while riding in an Uber vehicle, you need to know what to do.
- Call 911 and report the incident immediately. It is vital that the police get involved as soon as possible after a sexual assault occurs. This allows them to conduct a rapid investigation and preserve evidence. You want your abuser to face justice for what has happened.
- Go to a doctor. As hard as it may be to do anything after a sexual assault occurs, it is vital that victims seek treatment for any injuries from a doctor as soon as possible. We strongly encourage you to have a sexual assault kit performed (commonly referred to as a rape kit) in an effort to preserve any evidence that could help catch and convict the person who sexually assaulted you.
- Report the incident to Uber. You should go through Uber’s official reporting channels to report the incident.
- Contact an attorney. You need to work with an attorney who specializes in Uber sexual assault cases. The aftermath of these incidents can be incredibly confusing, but an experienced personal injury attorney will handle every aspect of the case for you so you do not have to. An attorney will be able to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident and negotiate with all parties involved to obtain a fair settlement on your behalf.
What Resources are available for Sexual Assault Victims in Montana?
There are various resources available for those who have experienced sexual assault in Montana. The Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence has a complete list of resources available in various regions in Montana. Anyone who experiences sexual assault should not have to do so alone.