Ride-hailing services company Uber has said that it received almost 6,000 sexual assault reports in the US in 2017 and 2018.
A report published by Uber revealed nearly 6,000 US cases of sexual assault in 2017 and 2018. However, while the number of cases increased in 2018, the rate of incidents have declined by 16% due to a higher number of journeys.
Uber published the data as part of its commitment to "improving safety for Uber and the entire industry". The company has recently received increased criticism globally and in November, it lost its license to operate in London.
According to Transport for London, the ride-hailing company Uber was not “fit and proper” to receive a new license in London despite implementing a number of positive changes to its operations. Uber initially lost its license to operate in 2017 but was given two extensions, the latest of which expired on Sunday.
The firm can file an appeal and will be able to continue operating while it is in process. Uber currently employs around 45,000 drivers in London, which is one of its top five markets worldwide.
Comprehensive safety review
The report revealed that during the two-year period, 5,981 sexual assault incidents were reported out of a total 2.3 billion trips in the US. This means that around 99.9% of the total journeys completed were safe.
It also indicated that almost half of those accused of sexual assault were passengers. The company said this was its first comprehensive safety review.
Tony West, chief legal officer at Uber, said: "Voluntarily publishing a report that discusses these difficult safety issues is not easy. Most companies don't talk about issues like sexual violence because doing so risks inviting negative headlines and public criticism. But we feel it's time for a new approach."
The company has no plans yet to publish other safety reports for markets beyond the US.
