Lawsuit filed against Uber by female passengers alleging rape, sexual assaults

SAN FRANCISCO -- A lawsuit has been filed against Uber in San Francisco by female riders who came forward saying they were raped, or sexually assaulted by drivers employed by the company.

The following statement was released by attorney Jeanne M. Christensen:

"As alleged in the complaint filed today against Uber, the Company must come forward with information about how many reports it has received about rapes, sexual assaults and gender-motivated harassment to allow consumers to assess whether Uber really does provide safe rides, especially to women. Uber must make drastic changes to prevent another female rider from harm. As alleged, the recent #MeToo campaign has exposed the heinous acts that female riders have been forced to endure during Uber rides. It is time for Uber to "Do the right thing. Period."

The ride sharing company said the specifics of the allegations are being reviewed.

"These allegations are important to us and we take them very seriously," an Uber spokesperson said.