Australian Women Urged to Share Experiences for Potential Uber Class Action

Law firm Slater and Gordon has initiated a public call for Australian women who allege they were sexually assaulted or harassed by Uber drivers to come forward as it investigates a potential class action lawsuit.

The firm aims to determine if Uber's current systems and policies adequately protect female passengers and how the company responds to complaints of alleged driver misconduct.

Key areas of examination include Uber's driver screening and monitoring processes, safety training programs, complaint handling procedures, and platform safety features. According to Roy Morgan data, Uber is used by nearly one-third of Australians, holding approximately 80% of the rideshare market.

Uber is presently facing numerous lawsuits in the United States. Company disclosures revealed that between 2017 and 2022, over 400,181 trips were associated with reports of sexual assault or misconduct. In the same period, Uber previously disclosed 12,522 accounts of serious sexual assaults, as reported by The New York Times.

"Women should be able to get home in an Uber safely, without being frightened or violated by the person behind the wheel, or left wondering whether anyone will listen and act," said Cindy Bors, practice group leader at Slater and Gordon. "When a woman passenger reports or alleges sexual harassment, sexual misconduct or sexual assault involving an Uber driver, the systems receiving, investigating and responding to that report matter."

At this early stage, no findings of liability have been made, and no class action has commenced. Women interested in participating in the potential class action do not need to have previously reported their experiences to Uber or the police.

"Some people may have felt that their experience was not serious enough to report, or that reporting would not make a difference. We want to hear from women about what happened and how Uber responded," Bors stated. "We need to understand whether women's experiences reveal common or systemic issues and whether a class action may be appropriate."

In response to inquiries, Uber Australia stated that it had not yet been served with any court proceedings. A spokesperson said, "Regardless of whether proceedings eventuate, we remain committed to listening to feedback, pushing harder, and innovating more to make every trip better and safer, every single day." The company added, "Safety is a core value at Uber, and we have invested billions of dollars and countless hours to protect the safety of users during trips."

Research from the NSW government earlier this year indicated that more than one in four women had experienced inappropriate or offensive behavior while using rideshare services and taxis, leading to an overhaul of driver training, complaint handling, and incident response guidelines.

Canberra resident Taylor Mostacci recounted her experience of being indecently assaulted by an Uber driver in 2021 on her way to a university ball. After reporting the incident to Uber, the driver's account was initially suspended, then reactivated when he denied the allegations. Mostacci subsequently reported the incident to the police, resulting in the driver's conviction last year.

"He touched my breasts and I just froze," she told Channel Nine's 60 Minutes. "I'll never risk being in an Uber by myself. Uber has a responsibility to take care of its customers, and it has a responsibility to protect us, to look after us."

Women seeking support can contact 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.