WESNET X UBER
Share a Ride, Gift a Ride.
Every 9 days, a woman is killed by a current or former intimate partner.
Did you know that the police deal with over 5,000 domestic violence incidents every week in Australia? That’s about one victim every 2 minutes or over 264,028 cases per year.(1)
Thousands more cases go unreported.
Each one of these victim-survivors may need help: help to get to safety and help to keep safe. This can involve travelling to shelter, to friends or family, to a court or to other essential medical, legal or support services.
Fortunately, with the help of Uber, frontline services in Wesnet’s member Australian-wide network have been able to organise free Uber rides to hundreds of women who are impacted by domestic and family violence.
“OMG thank you, I just can’t think right now and I don’t know how I would cope with 3 little kids on public transport. I wouldn’t know the first thing about catching a bus. He (perpetrator) has always controlled where and when I go by taking us.”
– A mum of three, client of Stirling Women’s Centre, WA
How can you help get more free rides for survivors in need?
By sharing your Uber trip status.
Yes, it’s that simple.
During these 16 Days of Activism, we’re inviting Uber riders to share their trip status not only to enhance their own safety but also to, in turn, support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence. Every time the Share My Ride in-app safety feature is used from 25 November to 10 December, Uber will donate $20 credit for safe rides to WESNET to assist domestic and family violence victim-survivors in rebuilding their lives.
How to share a trip status:
- Request your ride. Tap to open the app and request a ride as you normally would. Once requested, swipe up on your app screen and tap Send Status.
- Share your status. Select up to 5 people from your contact list you want to share your status with.
- Be on your way. Those people will receive a text with a link containing your trip details. Opening it displays your driver’s first name and vehicle information, plus your map location in real time.
Make a difference by sharing your ride
Since the start of the pandemic, through our partnership with Uber, we have provided safe and reliable free rides for around 5 ‘at risk’ women a day travelling to and from shelters, court cases and medical appointments, and the like.
“This funding has been invaluable to our service in assisting women, children and young people experiencing family violence. The convenience, availability (particularly late at night when other services are limited) and added safety features such as the ability to track the location of rides, has been critical particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you Uber and WESNET for this amazing program.”
– Laura, Case Worker
We’re now inviting riders to play a part in supporting Australian women in need. With your help, we can reach more women-at-risk.
Other ways you can help:
- Consider making us a donation or a bequest to support our work. All donations help WESNET keep supporting domestic and family violence victims and Specialist Women’s Services across Australia who work with women and children experiencing domestic and family violence.
- Follow us on our social media and share our posts (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter).
Who is WESNET?
WESNET is the national peak body for specialist women’s domestic and family violence (DFV) services across Australia and the leading sector expert on the intersection of technology and violence against women. WESNET provides training and works with a wide variety of corporations and technology companies in Australia and globally to ensure women can access technology safely.
Learn more about us and what we do here.
You can read Uber’s Press Release here.
For support services helplines, go here.
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References:
- Trends & issues in crime and criminal justice, AIC, 2020.