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What Is Uber’s “Women Preferred” Feature Anyway?
Uber has launched a new pilot program in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Detroit, introducing a “Women Preferred” feature. The goal is to help women feel safer and more in control of who they ride with. For riders, there is a setting that allows users to turn on the “Women Drivers” preference, which increases the likelihood of being matched with a female driver (though it’s not guaranteed). On the flip side, the feature allows drivers to accept trips from only women. Drivers can turn this option on or off anytime, depending on what feels right for them.
Why the Issue is Bigger Than App Settings
Currently, only 20% of Uber’s drivers identify as women. And this makes us question how much of a “safety feature” this really is. We want to be excited about this. But right now, it feels superficial, like slapping pink paint on the app and calling it progress.
Since 2018, Uber has faced thousands of reports from women who were assaulted by drivers. And the company falls short of addressing this meaningfully. For instance, there was a case of “a Jane Doe who alleged she was raped by a former Uber driver who had two separate complaints for sexually assaulting passengers.”
Yep, and at A Case for Women, we hear from women every day with similar stories and disbelief over the handling of reporting assault to Uber.
“I reported him to Uber and all I got was a $20 gift card.”
What we really want? Umm not a gift card, WTF!
Astoundingly, we have had tens of thousands of inquiries from women who have been sexually assaulted in Ubers or Lyfts.
“Safety” Without Accountability? Is It Just PR?
To those of us at A Case for Women—this feels more like Uber is responding to pressure rather than innovating. And let’s be honest— “we take your safety seriously” rings hollow after countless ignored reports, lawsuits, and years of horrifying headlines.
Frankly, Uber’s past shows a troubling pattern. Uber’s 2020-2021 US Safety Report revealed 2,717 serious sexual misconduct incidents between 2021 and 2022. That’s a drop from earlier reports, but let’s be blunt: a decline doesn’t equal safety. The truth is, according to reporting by RAINN, only 310 out of 1,000 sexual assaults are even reported to police, meaning many incidents go unaddressed.
There’s more work to be done to keep women safe—one assault is too many.
And we can’t stop thinking about this: Uber actually tried to get the term “sexual assault” removed from the case title—because apparently, calling it what it is might make them look bad in court. Thankfully the judicial panel didn’t buy it—a rare moment and huge vindication for survivors.
You can’t rebrand sexual assault to clean up your image.
Nice try, Uber.
What Survivors Want and Need
- Recognition of the problem – sexual assault of passengers by drivers.
- Tangible actions to solve the problem – stronger and verified background checks.
- LISTENING to women
- Video cameras in all cars.
- Real monitoring systems that make drivers and passengers safer.
- CONSEQUENCES for drivers who take advantage of women.
How Can A Case for Women Help Me?
Since A Case for Women was formed in 2015, our primary mission has been improving safety for all women. We’ve already helped thousands of women seek and find justice for sexual assault by Uber and Lyft drivers. So please know that you’re not alone. We encourage survivors to come forward, to file an Uber Sexual Assault Lawsuit.
