Supporting sexual violence survivors in Seattle during COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact our community, stay-at-home orders have created unintended challenges for some of the most vulnerable among us, including survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Many are facing increased risk of violence, and are left with few safe options to access resources or seek help.

Experts have reported a surge in domestic violence and sexual abuse in the last few weeks, and as demand increases, many shelters and service providers are seeking urgent assistance.

That’s why we are partnering with domestic and sexual violence organizations and local governments to provide 50,000 free rides to shelters and safe spaces, and more than 45,000 free meals for survivors in 35 cities across 16 countries. This is part of our pledge to provide 10 million free rides and food deliveries to those who need them most during this unprecedented time. 

In Seattle, we’re expanding our ongoing partnership with the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center (KCSARC) to provide 1,000 free rides to support their efforts to serve sexual assault survivors and their families. We’re extremely grateful for the critical lifeline that KCSARC provides for our community and we’re proud to do our part to support their lifesaving work. 

“At a time when victims of sexual assault are isolated and cut off from critical resources, this donation will be a lifesaver,” said Mary Ellen Stone, Executive Director, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.

Uber is committed to women’s safety both on our app and in the communities that we serve. Over the past several years, we’ve partnered with leading gender-based violence organizations globally on awareness, education and prevention of sexual assault and domestic violence. We’ve also taken important steps such as publishing the industry’s first-ever safety report to drive accountability and improve safety for Uber and the entire industry. 

Each of us can help others access resources and safe spaces. If you need help, or know someone who does, there are resources available through our partners at NO MORE, the National Network to End Domestic Violence, and KCSARC (kcsarc.org).