A Brooklyn woman has recently filed a lawsuit against Uber, claiming that she was kidnapped and raped by one of their drivers. Amber Moye, now 25 years old, alleges that she fell asleep in the backseat of an Uber in Brooklyn on the night before New Year's Eve in 2018 and woke up to find herself being assaulted by the driver who had climbed in beside her. The lawsuit, filed in Brooklyn Supreme Court, accuses Uber of having a "toxic-male culture" that allows for assaults on vulnerable passengers. Moye describes the attack as "disgusting and depraved" and states that it left her feeling humiliated, violated, and robbed of her dignity and personal safety.

According to Moye's lawsuit, she went to Brookdale Hospital Medical Center the day after the alleged assault when she woke up experiencing vaginal pain. A rape kit was administered, confirming that she had indeed been attacked. Moye also reported the incident to the NYPD's special victims unit, although it is unclear if the attack was fully investigated or if the driver was ever identified.

Moye is now suing Uber and one of its subsidiaries for negligence, liability, and related charges, arguing that the company's "toxic-male culture" has translated into a lackadaisical attitude towards rider safety. The lawsuit claims that Uber was aware of sexual assaults by drivers as early as 2014 but focused on profit rather than implementing concrete safety measures. The suit also accuses Travis Kalanick, one of Uber's founders and former CEO, of promoting a culture that prioritized growth over safety by streamlining the driver application process without thorough background checks.

Moye's attorney, Jamie Farrell of Slater Slater Schulman LLP, stated that Uber's response to the crisis of sexual assault has been slow and inadequate, with horrific consequences. Uber is currently facing approximately 100 sexual assault cases that are being consolidated in California. The company recently lost a bid to remove the term "sexual assault" from the lawsuit's name.

According to Uber's own US Safety Report, there were nearly 4,000 alleged sexual assault incidents involving Uber drivers in the US between 2019 and 2020, a decrease from almost 6,000 incidents reported between 2017 and 2018. Moye's attorney emphasized the importance of making changes to prevent further assaults, stating that Uber's failure to do so will only enable the continuation of these crimes.

Amber Moye hopes that her lawsuit will raise awareness about Uber's practices and prompt the company to implement stronger safety measures. She wants Uber to conduct more thorough background checks on drivers and remove those who have been the subject of complaints. Moye's lawsuit was filed under New York's now-expired Adult Survivor's Act, which allowed adult survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims against their assailants within a one-year lookback period regardless of when the crime occurred.

In response to the lawsuit, an Uber spokesperson stated that sexual assault has no place in society or on their platform. They emphasized the company's commitment to safety and their ongoing efforts to develop innovative features and policies to make the platform safer for all users.

The NYPD, while unable to confirm whether there was an investigation into Moye's complaint due to legal restrictions, affirmed their commitment to taking sexual assault and rape cases extremely seriously. The department urged victims to file police reports so that comprehensive investigations can be conducted and support can be offered to survivors.

Amber Moye's life has been significantly impacted by the alleged assault, resulting in her losing her job as an airport hostess and currently being unemployed. However, she remains determined to speak out and have her story help other women who have experienced similar traumatic incidents.