UBER will roll out ‘practical education’ for drivers and riders to prevent and raise awareness of gender-based violence.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The rideshare company today announced three initiatives to be implemented in Australia and New Zealand.
Uber will support the work of the Women’s Services Network – funding WESNET interim national director Karen Bentley said would be used in relation to technology-facilitated sexual violence.
“With this additional funding, WESNET will be able to expand its work in raising awareness about technology abuse to also include sexual violence,” Ms Bentley said.
“We will be working to raise awareness that sexual violence is a continuum that starts with sexist attitudes and jokes, and extends through to sexual assault and homicides.
“Most serious sexual violence in Australia is perpetrated by someone known to the victim. We are also seeing much of the sexual harassment and sexist behaviour being played out on technology.”
Uber regional general manager Susan Anderson said the company was launching a Women’s Safety Forum to provide ongoing advice and to tap into the work being done throughout Australia and New Zealand, which WESNET will be invited to join.
It was also seeking to inform its staff, drivers and riders about gender-based violence.
Uber has developed a video, which it is sharing with drivers via emails and in-app messages, and riders via an in-app message.
The company is planning to develop more materials in the new year.
“We have already hosted training sessions for more than 70 locally-based employees to help them better understand these issues, including how they affect all industries and communities,” Ms Anderson said.
Uber’s Victorian-based leadership team has participated in the training, which Uber said would be extended to more locally-based staff in the coming months.
Ms Anderson said the initiatives had been informed by the conversations Uber had been having with experts from organisations who were on the front line, responding to and raising awareness of women’s safety and gender based violence across Australia and New Zealand.
RELATED:
“We’re pleased to see corporations like Uber stepping up to take on a bigger role in ending violence against women and girls,” Ms Bentley said.
“Violence against women is happening in Australian and globally at epidemic levels, and it will take a whole-of-society approach to change attitudes and eliminate violence against women and girls.”
She said WESNET had been working for many years on promoting technology safety for women.
“Australians are one of the biggest users of technology in the world, and we love it. As a society, we also readily embrace new technologies as they emerge,” Ms Bentley said.
“WESNET’s Safety Net Australia program looks at how technology intersects with violence against women.”
She said the network provided training to frontline workers who assisted survivors of domestic and family violence to continue using technology, and to help them be safer while doing so.
Education was also provided to the community and to those working with perpetrators about turning the tables on perpetrators of domestic and family violence who misuse technology as part of their violent behaviours, Ms Bentley said.
“We work with technology companies because we have the expertise around the intersection of technology and violence against women that we believe is vital for the technology industry to understand and embed,” she said.
“WESNET regularly advises technology companies to ensure that their services and products take into consideration the experiences of survivors of violence using their platforms and to help them understand how abusers commit abusive behaviours via their platforms.”
Uber will also support the work of the Sexual Abuse Prevention Network in New Zealand.
The announcement comes in the lead-up to the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, which starts on Sunday.
Sunday is also the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.