Councilor Flynn Refiles Resolution in Support of Criminalizing Sexual Assault on Rideshare Passengers
BOSTON – This week, after the Department of Public Utilities held a public hearing on proposed updates to Transportation Network Company (TNC) safety regulations to enhance public safety, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn refiled a resolution in support of criminalizing sexual assault on rideshare passengers. Councilor Flynn also sent a letter to the Department of Public Utilities in advance of the state hearing in support of Bill S. 1247, An Act criminalizing sexual assault of a passenger by a rideshare operator. This bill would effectively treat ride-share drivers (Uber/Lyft) as people in a position of trust, similar to a police officer with a person in custody, and eliminating consent as a defense for a ride-share driver. It would make it illegal for a driver to have relations with a passenger.
In February of 2025, a woman was allegedly raped by her Uber driver after she left a bar alone. The next day, her friends encouraged her to contact the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, who guided her through her next steps. After obtaining a sexual assault test kit, she was told that there was not enough evidence to move the case to trial. Prosecutors at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Unit reportedly indicated that in order to move forward with a trial, they would have to prove that the rideshare driver knew that the victim was too intoxicated to give consent.
This follows years of reported incidents on sexual assault on passengers by rideshare drivers in the City of Boston and across the Commonwealth. In February, a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by her rideshare driver when travelling from an establishment in South Boston to her home. In 2018, a driver was charged with exposing himself to two women near Downtown Crossing. In 2015, another driver was convicted of aggravated rape, kidnapping, assault and battery. In November 2025, the Boston City Council unanimously adopted Councilor Flynn’s resolution in support of S. 1247.
Ensuring the safety of all residents – particularly young women – who use rideshares is critical. While the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) currently regulates TNCs, including rideshare drivers, services, and companies, Councilor Flynn has advocated for years that the Boston Police Department play a larger role in regulating and providing oversight on public safety issues regarding rideshares in our City.
“Incidents of sexual assault on rideshares continue to be deeply disturbing, unsettling for residents, and all too frequent across the City of Boston. Ensuring the safety of all of our residents, especially young women, is critical,” said Councilor Flynn. “This bill is a common sense approach to try to protect those in a vulnerable state, and do all that we can to prevent similar incidents from happening again.”
For more information, please contact Councilor Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 or [email protected].
