Lyft driver who allegedly raped a USC student banned from platform
LAPD did not confirm an arrest, though the investigation is ongoing.
By TALIA WEXLER
Content warning: This article contains references to sexual assault and violence.
Nearly one week after a USC student was allegedly raped by a Lyft driver near campus, Lyft confirmed in a statement to the Daily Trojan that the alleged perpetrator was an established Lyft driver, not a different individual posing as a driver, and the suspected driver’s account has been permanently banned.
The student reported that at around 3 a.m. on Nov. 1, she was picked up by a Lyft driver from a club in West Hollywood and driven back to her apartment near campus. According to DPS, the student was raped by the driver in his car when they arrived at her apartment. The USC Department of Public Safety issued a Universitywide email later that day for a reported offense of rape.
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Lyft has been in contact with the Los Angeles Police Department and USC to assist in the investigation.
“Safety is fundamental to Lyft. The behavior described is reprehensible and has no place in the Lyft community or anywhere in society,” the company’s statement read.
The Newton Division of the LAPD responded to investigate the alleged sexual assault. The LAPD did not clarify whether or not an arrest has been made, and the investigation is still ongoing.
Lyft requires annual and initial background checks for drivers, as well as community safety training created in partnership with the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the United States.
According to USC Director of Transportation Tony Mazza, USC averages between 35,000 and 40,000 rides per week through the USC Lyft Rides Program alone, which allows students free shared Lyft rides between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m.
In 2017, 2018 and 2019, Lyft received 4,158 reports of sexual assault in the U.S.. During these years, more than 99% of trips occurred without any safety incidents being reported to the platform.
In the days following the crime report, students have expressed concerns about the safety of using rideshare apps. Jacky Rutherford, a freshman majoring in politics, philosophy, and law, said she recalls her friends audibly gasping when they received the notification of the crime alert.
“This was so shocking, and especially because it was after [Halloween weekend],” Rutherford said. “We had been going out as well and putting ourselves in the same types of positions, not being reckless but just having fun and not really minding too much about our safety.”
Rutherford said her friends have become more cautious about using apps like Lyft since the incident.
“We had to go to downtown L.A. two days ago, and we decided to take the Metro instead … we discussed it a lot in our friend group, having apps now like Life360 or just having each other’s location,” Rutherford said.
Jacky Rutherford, a freshman majoring in politics, philosophy, and law, said she and her friends were being more cautious following the “shocking” report. (Shriya Jayanthi / Daily Trojan file)
Mazza encouraged students to use the safety tips on the USC Transportation website when using a rideshare service, which includes using shared location features. In an email to the Daily Trojan, he wrote that he recommends students verify the driver and the car before stepping inside and cancel the ride if it feels unsafe in the assigned vehicle.
Alicia Valenciano, a freshman majoring in world bachelor in business and the finance intern for the Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment, said she recently had an experience where she felt uncomfortable traveling home while using the USC Lyft Rides Program.
“The driver was acting a little erratic and that set off my alarm bells, but it was great that my friend who was also going home from movie night ended up using the same shared ride,” Valenciano said. “He might have been a perfectly fine guy, but after reading that report, you don’t know who’s perfectly fine anymore.”
Valenciano also said one of her friends has transitioned to only using Uber Black, a program that allows passengers to pay a higher price for a luxury vehicle and top-rated driver.
“So now I’m thinking safety is only limited to those who can afford to pay for more advanced processes, the fancier Ubers, the fancier Lyfts,” she said.
DPS Assistant Chief David Carlisle recommends that students use the LiveSafe app on their phones among other precautions while traveling with rideshare apps. LiveSafe allows users to call for help with the push of a button, and can allow DPS to use satellite data to track the location and send help.
“What we want students to keep in mind is, first of all, there have literally been a million plus Lyft and combination Uber rides in the past few years provided by USC, and there have been an extraordinarily low number of complaints that I’m aware of,” Carlisle said. “Nonetheless, we can’t control all situations, so we want students to take certain precautions.”
Rutherford said receiving the crime report changed her feeling of safety while going about day-to-day life.
“Everything goes back to normal and you think you’re safe until something like this happens,” she said. “It’s like you’re brought back to reality, and then you realize ‘Oh my god, as a woman we should always be afraid.’”
If you are in need of support, here are some resources you can contact:
USC Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention and Services: Located at Engemann Student Health Center Suite 356. Individuals can call (213)-740-9355 and request to speak with an advocate or counselor. Services are confidential.
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN): A free, confidential hotline that is active 24/7. Individuals can call (800)-656-4673.
