Uber’s conscience is clear, its “record on safety is clear.”
This is the official statement of Uber – strong and impactful – after a recent report on The New York Times claimed that the ridesharing company is hiding its sexual assault “crimes.”
Oops, that’s daring. Here’s the scoop.
‘Uber’s festering sexual assault problem’
The Ridesharing Forum team visited Uber’s official newsroom to check for story sources until it found this intriguing post. The team believes this shouldn’t just go under the radar.
The New York Times’ Emily Steel has claimed earlier this month via her story on the world’s number one newspaper, saying that every eight minutes, Uber is facing sexual assault problems.
“Uber received a report of sexual assault or sexual misconduct in the United States almost every eight minutes on average between 2017 and 2022, sealed court records show, a level far more pervasive than what the company has disclosed,” she said.
Uber’s answer? No basis.
Not true
Hannah Nilles, the Head of Safety of Uber for the Americas, immediately responded to Steel’s claims via Uber’s official newsroom. Though, however, Uber did not specify whether it was the article presented above, but it is more likely it.
“A recent article has made startling claims suggesting that Uber has turned a blind eye to the safety of passengers and drivers. Nothing could be further from the truthl,” Nilles wrote. “Safety is a core value at Uber, and we have invested billions of dollars and countless hours to reduce safety incidents during trips, particularly when it comes to sexual misconduct and assault.”
Now, it seems that the certain Steel has issues with Uber. The team took a look at her stories on the publication, and while she has written about a wide range of topics, several of her recent articles were anti-Uber.
For instance, there are three smear campaign articles against Uber written after the story presented above, the other being a video detailing her take on Uber’s “sexual assault problem,” and another saying that these happen “every eight minutes,” among her other stories.
Every 8 minutes?
In Steel’s article titled “Every Eight Minutes: Uber’s Alarming Sexual Violence Problem,” she wrote, “Hundreds of thousands of people reported that they were sexually assaulted or harassed during Uber rides.”
Plus, she is pointing out that there were investigations done to prove these allegations.
Uber, of course, responded to those claims, too, adding that they use the power of data to ensure each of your rides are totally safe.
“We have always felt the first step to addressing the problem is by talking openly about it and bringing data to bear. That’s why we put out a first-of-its-kind Safety Report in 2019, and have since published two more,” Nilles continued.
You can access the Safety Report here.
It is interesting since each day the Ridesharing Forum team checks news on Uber, they have generally found no reports on sexual assaults or even sexual violence involving Uber. Is there another motive for these allegations versus Uber? Tell us your thoughts by signing up today on this website.