Legal Help For Survivors Nationwide
Legal Help For Survivors Nationwide
Reporting a sexual assault can start several separate processes. In New York, the rideshare company, the police and prosecutors may each respond in different ways, and for rides in New York City, so may the Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC). For competent adults, whether to report to law enforcement is generally their choice [1]. This guide explains what each one generally does after a report, which rights you may have along the way, and how reporting relates to a civil claim. If you haven’t reported yet, our Step-by-Step Guide to Reporting a Rideshare Sexual Assault explains how.
Not sure what to do next? Survivor’s Justice connects survivors with experienced, compassionate lawyers who handle claims against Uber and Lyft. A free, confidential case review can tell you whether you may have a claim and which deadlines may apply, whether or not you have reported, with no pressure and no obligation.
We can help answer your questions and connect you with an attorney if you may have a case.
Uber says riders can report an incident to its 24/7 Safety Support Team through the Help menu in the app, or discreetly during a trip using its On-Trip Reporting feature [2]. According to Uber, reports of sexual assault are handled by specialized safety agents who use a trauma-informed approach [3].
Uber says that when it receives a report of sexual assault, its teams take immediate steps such as:
Uber says its agents can take swift action, including permanently deactivating an account. It also says survivors are offered a 24/7 hotline and a Survivor Support Fund, developed with RAINN [3]. According to Uber, reporting to the police is always the survivor’s choice, and if a survivor decides to report, its Law Enforcement Response Team is available around the clock to assist with the investigation [3].
Lyft says riders can report a safety concern through the Lyft app or by phone, and that its Safety Team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week [4][5]. In an emergency, Lyft says to call 911 [5]. Lyft also says every member of its Safety Team is a credentialed victim advocate [6].
According to Lyft’s most recent Safety Transparency Report, the accused person’s account is generally placed on a temporary hold while Lyft contacts the person who reported, and in most cases Lyft temporarily deactivates the account while it investigates. The outcome can be a warning, temporary deactivation or permanent deactivation [6]. Lyft’s policy says it will conduct an impartial and timely investigation, keep the process confidential to the extent possible, and not retaliate against anyone for a good-faith complaint [4]. Lyft says it is not its standard process to report safety incidents to the police on its own, because the decision whether and when to report belongs to the survivor [6].
You are not alone. Uber’s most recent U.S. Safety Report counts 2,717 reported incidents in its most serious categories of sexual assault and misconduct in 2021 and 2022 [7]. Lyft’s most recent report counts 2,651 in its five most serious categories of sexual assault from 2020 through 2022 [6]. A company’s review of a report is its own internal process, separate from any police investigation and from any civil claim.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911 [8]. In New York City, the NYPD’s 24-hour hotline for reporting sex crimes is 212-267-7273 (212-267-RAPE) [9]. Outside New York City, survivors may contact their local police department or the New York State Police [1].
New York does not require a competent adult survivor to report a sexual assault to the police, and going to a hospital emergency department generally does not, by itself, notify the police [8]. There is also no general deadline to make a police report. Even so, the NYPD advises reporting as soon as possible, because evidence can be lost over time and most crimes have time limits for prosecution [8].
After a report, the NYPD may investigate to gather more information. According to the NYPD, an arrest is made if a suspect is identified and there is probable cause to believe the suspect committed the crime. The District Attorney’s Office then decides whether to file charges, and in a felony case a grand jury decides whether there is enough evidence to bring the case to trial [10]. The NYPD says its Special Victims investigators conduct trauma-informed, victim-centered investigations, and that each Special Victims Squad has victim advocates on staff [9].
You are not required to take part in the investigation. However, the NYPD may continue to investigate and, in some cases, make an arrest whether or not you want the case to go forward [8]. To learn the status of a case, you can call the precinct where the complaint was recorded [8].
How long prosecutors have to bring charges depends on the offense. New York’s time limits for prosecution generally range from a few years to no limit at all, and some of the most serious offenses, including rape in the first degree, may be prosecuted at any time [11].
New York law requires that every victim who reports a crime be given notice of the rights of crime victims and of local victim assistance programs and services [12]. Other rights may apply as a case moves forward:
In New York City, Uber and Lyft operate under the TLC’s rules for high-volume for-hire services, and their drivers must be licensed by the TLC [17][18]. Separately from any police report, you can file a complaint about a driver with the TLC by calling 311, or (212) 639-9675 from outside New York City, or through 311 Online. Uber and Lyft rides fall under the “Car Service (including app-bases)” complaint [19][20].
According to the TLC, one of its prosecutors will contact you and investigate the complaint. If the TLC finds that the driver violated its rules, it sends the driver a notice. If the driver does not plead guilty, a hearing is held at the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), and you may testify by phone or in person [20]. According to NYC311, for the TLC to take action against a driver, the person who complained must take part in that hearing. Otherwise, the complaint is sent to the TLC, but no action is taken against the driver [21].
TLC rules prohibit a licensed driver from sexual contact or sexual harassment while working. Under those rules, a violation involving sexual contact is subject to a $2,000 fine and mandatory license revocation, and a violation involving sexual harassment is subject to a $1,000 fine and a mandatory 30-day suspension, revocation, or both [22].
If a driver faces pending criminal charges, including any felony charge and certain sex offense charges, TLC rules allow the TLC to summarily suspend the driver’s license while the criminal case is pending. The driver may request a hearing on the suspension. After the criminal case ends, the TLC must either lift the suspension or begin proceedings to revoke the license [23].
You can have an exam at any hospital emergency department to collect evidence and receive certain medical care related to the assault, at no cost to you [1]. Reporting to the police is not required [24]. Under New York law, the provider is to bill the Office of Victim Services (OVS) directly, and you may decline to give private health insurance information if you believe it would substantially interfere with your privacy or safety, in which case OVS pays the exam fee [25]. You can have an advocate from the local rape crisis program stay with you during the exam [26]. Before the exam begins, the hospital must give you New York’s Sexual Assault Victim Bill of Rights [27].
What happens to the evidence depends on whether you report:
For confidential support at any time, whether or not you report, New York’s 24/7 Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline is 800-942-6906, or text 844-997-2121 [31].
OVS can help pay medical and counseling costs and lost wages that other sources don’t cover [32]. Since December 31, 2025, survivors have 3 years to file a claim with OVS, counted from the crime or from when it was discovered, and OVS may accept a late claim for good reasons [33][34].
A police report is not the only way to qualify. Since December 31, 2025, a city- or state-funded victim service provider, or a licensed medical or mental health professional, can fill out a short form that OVS can accept as confirmation of the crime. OVS can also decide whether a claim is eligible whether or not anyone has been arrested [33][25]. Claims are filed online through OVS Compass [33], and the OVS helpline is 1-800-247-8035 [32].
Reporting to Uber, Lyft or the police generally does not, by itself, extend the time to file a civil lawsuit. Each claim has its own deadline, and which one applies depends on the facts. In New York, survivors of rape and certain other serious sex crimes may have up to 20 years to file certain civil claims. Depending on the facts, claims may be brought against the alleged perpetrator and, in some circumstances, against other parties whose conduct is alleged to have contributed to the harm, including a rideshare company. A criminal charge or conviction is not required [35]. Other claims have much shorter deadlines, some only 1 year [36].
A criminal case can add time. If a criminal case is brought against the driver over the same events, you may have at least 1 year after the criminal case ends to sue the driver, even if your deadline has already passed. For certain serious offenses, including rape in the first degree, you may have at least 5 years [36].
You can choose court. Uber’s terms of use leave individual claims of sexual assault or sexual harassment out of its arbitration agreement [37]. Lyft says it won’t require arbitration for those claims, and that survivors can choose arbitration, mediation or court [38]. Our guide on whether it’s too late to sue Uber or Lyft covers New York’s deadlines in more detail.
No. New York does not require a competent adult survivor to report to the police [8]. You can have a forensic exam without a police report [24], and OVS can accept a form completed by a victim service provider or a licensed medical or mental health professional instead of a police report [33].
Both companies say the decision is yours. Uber says reporting to law enforcement is always the survivor’s choice [3], and Lyft says it is not its standard process to report safety incidents to the police on its own [6]. If you decide to report, Uber says its Law Enforcement Response Team is available to assist with the investigation [3], and Lyft says police can submit legal requests to it through an online system [6].
Uber and Lyft each say they may suspend or deactivate the accused person’s account after a report [3][6]. In New York City, TLC rules also allow the TLC to suspend or revoke a driver’s license, as described above [22][23].
You are not required to take part in an investigation, but the NYPD may continue to investigate and, in some cases, make an arrest [8]. A civil claim is separate. Under New York’s 20-year rule, a criminal charge or conviction is not required to bring one [35].
New York’s fair treatment standards aim to ensure that victims are notified of the arrest and release of the accused, if they give the appropriate official a current address and phone number [13]. You can also use VINE, at 1-888-846-3469, to check custody status and sign up for release alerts [16].
No. A consultation through Survivor’s Justice is free and confidential. You can learn whether you may have a claim and what legal options may be available based on your situation, with no obligation.
Survivor’s Justice connects survivors with experienced, compassionate lawyers who handle claims against Uber and Lyft. The consultation is free and confidential, whether or not you have reported, and you decide what happens next. Because some deadlines are short, reaching out sooner may help preserve your legal options.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Reading it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship.
Being assaulted by a Lyft or Uber driver is not your fault. You deserve answers. You deserve advocacy. And most of all—you deserve justice.
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