We have a social contract with the government: in exchange for our obedience to laws and taxes, they owe us a fundamental right – safety. This right doesn’t end when we leave our homes or even get into public vehicles that we trust to take us to our destinations.
Yet rideshare services like Uber, which was once hailed as the poster child of convenient and safe transportation, have now become a red zone for something as terrifying as sexual assault.
These assaults are a violation of our right to security and a betrayal of the trust placed in a system that promised a safe journey home. You should file an Uber sexual assault claim if you have fallen victim to a sexual assault incident while riding in an Uber.
Who is Most at Risk?
Women are significantly more likely to experience these assaults. Studies suggest they are four times more likely than men to be targeted during Uber rides.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and other people in the LGBTQ+ community, along with people with disabilities, might be at higher risk because some people might target them based on who they are or because they might seem more vulnerable.
The risk of vulnerability is even higher at late-night and early morning hours when ridership is lower and fewer witnesses are present to see or stop the incident.
Research also suggests that sexual assault reports are higher in areas with higher crime rates and very few transportation options.
What can the Government Do?
Here are several ways the government can fulfill its own end of the social contract:
Using Technology For Safety
Governments can work with ride-hailing companies to add features to their apps that help prevent assaults. This could involve riders choosing a “safe word” to secretly call for help or starting a silent emergency call when they press a specific button combo.
Empowering Bystanders To Act When The Need Arises
The government can support training programs that teach people how to safely intervene if they see something suspicious happening on a ride or in public.
Enforcing Strict Criteria For Uber And Other Rideshare Drivers
The government can make stricter rules for ridesharing companies. These rules could involve stricter checks on drivers’ backgrounds and making sure companies have strong safety plans.
Working Together For Safety
A special group with people from the government, police, ridesharing companies, and victim support groups can be created. This group would work together to find the best ways to keep riders safe.
Making Rating Systems Available
The government could explore a system where riders can rate drivers on how safe they felt, along with the usual ratings for service.
This would give riders more control and give ridesharing companies important information.
Wrapping Up
When we hail a ride on a platform like Uber, we enter into a similar social contract where we trust the company to connect us with a responsible driver and get us to our destination safely in exchange for our payment.
Both the government and Uber have an obligation to ensure that this one ride does not turn into an incident that leaves us traumatized for life.
We, the citizens who utilize these services, deserve better. We deserve to hail a ride without the gnawing fear of becoming victims.
The government must step in and enact stricter regulations that hold both Uber and drivers accountable for their actions and create a safe rideshare environment. Only then can we restore the broken promise of safety and rebuild trust in a system that was supposed to make our lives easier, not put us at risk.
