Australian firm seeks women’s accounts of alleged Uber driver misconduct
Australian law firm Slater and Gordon is asking women who allege they were sexually assaulted or harassed by Uber drivers to register their experiences while it investigates a potential class action. The inquiry will assess whether Uber’s safety systems and its responses to complaints adequately protect female passengers; no class action has begun and no liability has been established.
The firm says women can come forward even if they did not report an incident to Uber or police. More than 7.4 million Australians use Uber, which has about 80 per cent of the rideshare market. NSW government research found more than one in four women had experienced inappropriate or offensive behaviour in rideshares or taxis. Uber said safety is a core value and that it has invested heavily in protecting users.
In short
- Slater and Gordon is investigating a possible Australian class action.
- Women can register even if they never made a formal report.
- NSW research found inappropriate behaviour affected more than one in four women.
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The case for
Women who report harassment or assault may have faced barriers to reporting, so inviting accounts beyond formal complaints could help reveal patterns and assess whether Uber’s safeguards and responses are adequate. Given rideshare use is widespread and research indicates inappropriate behaviour is not rare, a potential class action could offer affected passengers a route to seek accountability and redress if failures are established.
The case against
Uber’s safety systems and complaint handling should be assessed on evidence, with care not to treat allegations as proven or infer company liability before an investigation. A class action may be premature unless it establishes a shared legal basis and shows that the conduct resulted from shortcomings attributable to Uber; the company also says it has invested heavily in user safety.
Explained simply
Uber is a ride-booking service that connects passengers with drivers through an app. In Australia, more than 7.4 million people use it, and it accounts for about 80 per cent of the rideshare market.
Slater and Gordon is a law firm examining whether women’s accounts of alleged sexual assault or harassment by Uber drivers could support a class action. It is asking women to register their experiences, including those not reported to Uber or police; no case has begun and no finding of liability has been made.
The inquiry concerns how Uber’s safety systems and complaint responses protect passengers. NSW research found that more than one in four women had experienced inappropriate or offensive behaviour in rideshares or taxis, while Uber says user safety is a core value and it has invested heavily in protection.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Women allegedly assaulted by Uber drivers urged to come forward as law firm investigates potential class action”.