Woman raped by her Uber driver sues the company after it was revealed executives obtained, examined her medical records

A week after reports surfaced that an Uber executive obtained the medical records of a woman raped by one of Uber's drivers, the woman filed a lawsuit against the ride-sharing company and three of its current and former top executives:
The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, a resident of Texas, is suing Uber and its chief executive, Travis Kalanick, as well as two former senior executives, Emil Michael and Eric Alexander, for intrusion into private affairs, public disclosure of private facts, and defamation. She said in her suit that the three executives believed her rape, in 2014, may have been part of a conspiracy hatched by a competing ride-hailing company or a taxi company. [The New York Times]
The Uber executive, Eric Alexander, reportedly traveled to India, where the woman was raped in 2014 during an Uber ride, to get ahold of the woman's medical records. It's not entirely clear how he did so or if the files were obtained "legally," Recode reported.
Alexander then shared those documents with Uber CEO Travis Kalanick and senior executive Emil Michael, who are both also named in the lawsuit. His intent was apparently to question whether the woman's account was true. The accused Uber driver has been convicted of kidnapping and sexual assault and sentenced to life in prison.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
“Rape denial is just another form of the toxic gender discrimination that is endemic at Uber and ingrained in its culture," said lawyer Douglas Wigdor, who is representing the woman.
The lawsuit comes days after Uber announced that it had fired more than 20 employees following an investigation into company culture. Kalanick announced Tuesday that he would be taking a leave of absence to "work on Travis 2.0 to become the leader that this company needs."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - March 8, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - trade wars, healthcare costs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Marbled tea eggs recipe
The Week Recommends With a beautiful exterior, these eggs are also marked by their soft yolk
By The Week UK Published
-
The Washington Post: kowtowing to Trump?
Talking Point The newspaper's opinion editor has handed in his notice following edict from Jeff Bezos
By The Week UK Published
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Chinese AI chatbot's rise slams US tech stocks
Speed Read The sudden popularity of a new AI chatbot from Chinese startup DeepSeek has sent U.S. tech stocks tumbling
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US port strike averted with tentative labor deal
Speed Read The strike could have shut down major ports from Texas to Maine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Biden expected to block Japanese bid for US Steel
Speed Read The president is blocking the $14 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan's Nippon Steel, citing national security concerns
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Judges block $25B Kroger-Albertsons merger
Speed Read The proposed merger between the supermarket giants was stalled when judges overseeing two separate cases blocked the deal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rupert Murdoch loses 'Succession' court battle
Speed Read Murdoch wanted to give full control of his empire to son Lachlan, ensuring Fox News' right-wing editorial slant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Bitcoin surges above $100k in post-election rally
Speed Read Investors are betting that the incoming Trump administration will embrace crypto
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published