Hawk Episodes Around February 9, 2026
See what was published immediately before and after this episode.
3:52Now PlayingUber's Rape Case Verdict is a Bellwether for Sexual Assault
Feb 9, 2026·2K views
February 9, 2026
1,955
247
27
14.02%
Every word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
See what was published immediately before and after this episode.
3:52Now PlayingA federal jury in Phoenix ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to passenger Jaylen Dean after she was raped by an Uber driver in November 2023. This landmark verdict represents the first time Uber has been found liable in a sexual assault case, potentially affecting over 3,000 pending lawsuits against the rideshare company. The jury rejected Uber's longstanding defense that drivers are independent contractors rather than employees, establishing crucial legal precedent for future cases.
Court records reveal that between 2017 and 2022, Uber received reports of sexual assault or misconduct approximately every 8 minutes in the United States. That amounts to at least seven reports per hour, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These numbers are widely believed to be dramatically underreported due to shame, fear, and victims' belief that nothing will be done.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Uber's internal systems flagged Jaylen Dean's ride as high risk for a serious safety incident moments before pickup, yet the company chose not to warn her, with executives testifying it would have been "impractical" to do so. This revelation undermines Uber's public claims about prioritizing rider safety above all else.
The case highlights systemic failures in rideshare safety protocols and raises questions about liability when companies classify workers as independent contractors while simultaneously monitoring risk levels. Uber spokesperson Matt Colin stated the verdict "affirms that Uber acted responsibly" while simultaneously announcing plans to appeal. The plaintiff's attorneys had requested $144 million in damages. Uber maintains that 99.9% of rides occur without incident, though critics argue this statistic minimizes thousands of annual assault victims. The legal battle continues as rideshare companies face increasing scrutiny over sexual violence during rides.
#JaylenDean #Uber #UberLawsuit #RideshareAssault #SexualAssault #PhoenixVerdict #RideshareSafety #UberRape #LegalPrecedent #PassengerSafety #IndependentContractor #VicariousLiability #FederalJury #TempeArizona #Waymo #DriverlessCars #RideshareRegulation #UberLiability #SexualMisconduct #CourtVerdict #CivilLawsuit #PersonalInjury #Hawk #HawkPodcasts #MDG650Hawk
If you have the means and want to support Hawk you can become a Channel Member:
SUPPORT & CONNECT WITH HAWK
Support on Patreon
Hawk's Merch Store
Connect on TikTok
Connect on TikTok
Connect on BlueSky
Connect on Substack
Connect on Facebook
Connect on Instagram
Connect on Twitch(will be integrating this in the future)
HAWK PODCASTS INFO
- Additional Content Available Here:
- Listen to Hawk Podcasts On Your Favorite Platform:
• Apple Podcasts
• iHeartRadio
• Simplecast
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.
