In 2017, the world witnessed more than 12 million people in 24 hours find their voices and find each other through one viral hashtag: #MeToo. Seemingly overnight, families, celebrities, schools, and companies all over the globe began to grapple with the true magnitude of domestic and sexual violence, Uber included.

That same year Uber began a transformative journey centered on improving safety on our platform. By embarking on months of listening sessions with survivors and advocates, we began to understand how Uber could work to be a safer, more survivor-centered company, and how we could channel the scope of our platform to help prevent gender based violence in our communities.

This led to the launch of our Driving Change initiative, committing $5 million in grant funding over five years to support organizations working to prevent, address, and respond to gender based violence in the US. Not only have we recommitted these funds every year since, we’ve expanded Driving Change to every continent where Uber operates. 

This year, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we’re announcing $2.6 million in funding for organizations working to end gender based violence and advance women’s equity around the globe. 

This year, we are not only proud to continue our longstanding partnerships with national anti-gender based violence organizations, we’re also excited to announce four new Driving Change partners that are either survivor-led or providing culturally specific resources to communities in the US. 

Survivors of color and those that are immigrants face additional barriers in seeking help through mainstream channels. That’s why Uber believes it’s critically important to support organizations that are responsive to survivors’ intersecting identities. Furthermore, Uber firmly believes that survivors should be at the forefront of guiding change in this area. 

And because a lack of transportation can often stand in the way of a survivor’s safety and path to healing, this year we will also donate up to $200,000 to ten state domestic and sexual violence coalitions to provide free rides for survivors of violence. 

Through these partnerships, Uber has been able to address women’s safety across the different facets of our business and beyond. Advocates and survivors have helped inspire dozens of new innovative safety features, survivor support programs, education for our riders, drivers and customer support agents, and Uber’s first-of-its-kind US Safety Report.

On the heels of a global pandemic, the #MeToo hashtag may no longer be on the front pages, but the need to address gender based violence has nevertheless intensified. And we’re still working to play a role in ending it.

Here are the partnerships that make up our Driving Change initiative: 

United States: 

me too. International

me too. International serves as a convener, thought leader, and organizer across the mainstream and the grassroots to address systems that allow for the proliferation of sexual violence, specifically in Black, queer, trans, disabled, and all communities of color. 

“me too. International is thrilled to receive support from Uber and be among the 2021 Driving Change partner organizations doing incredible work to end sexual violence and improve the lives of survivors. With the funding we receive, we plan to deepen our existing program offerings to survivors and grow engagement with under-resourced communities to ensure that they see themselves in our work.”

– Dani Ayers, Chief Executive Officer of me too. International

Ujima: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community

Ujima is a national, culturally-specific organization founded to provide support to and be a voice for the Black Community in response to domestic, sexual and community violence.

“The invitation to partner with Uber is significant because it exemplifies corporate responsibility and a commitment to addressing anti-blackness internally and externally. This partnership allows Ujima to participate in Uber’s transformative journey of being a thought leader in the corporate community and gives Ujima the opportunity to build its infrastructure in a way that is often unfunded and under resourced.” 

– Karma Cottman, Executive Director, Ujima 

Rise

Rise is a civil rights accelerator that has trained hundreds of rape survivors how to pen their own civil rights into existence. COVID-19 “Stay at Home” policies have spiked sexual and domestic violence rates across the world.  In response, Rise launched “Survivor Safe Haven” which creates safe havens at local restaurants and businesses to give survivors with no place to go access to resources.

“I’m incredibly grateful to Uber for their steadfast commitment in protecting survivors’ agency and prioritizing our dignity. Their support will go directly toward our work in uplifting millions of survivors around the country.”

– Amanda Nguyen, CEO & Founder, Rise

Tahirih Justice Center

The Tahirih Justice Center is a national, nonprofit organization that serves immigrant survivors fleeing gender-based violence. By amplifying the experiences of survivors in communities, courts, and Congress, Tahirih’s mission is to create a world in which all people share equal rights and live in safety and with dignity.

“Through Tahirih’s partnership with Uber, we continue our work to improve the laws, practices, and attitudes that can help immigrant survivors vulnerable to abuse. With Uber’s support, we provide each survivor with the resources they need to secure personal protection and support their agency in their healing journey. By working at both the systemic and individual levels, we seek to have a truly transformative impact on our justice system.”

– Archi Pyati, Chief of Policy and Communications, Tahirih Justice Center

RALIANCE 

RALIANCE is a national partnership dedicated to ending sexual violence in one generation. Through their resource center RALIANCE Business, they are helping businesses and organizations adopt consistent, evidence-based standards and strategies to improve how they measure, respond to, and prevent sexual violence. 

Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network (RAINN)

As the nation’s largest sexual violence prevention organization, RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline. Uber has partnered with RAINN to develop sexual assault and misconduct education for drivers and administers the Uber Survivor Resources Hotline.

National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)

As the nation’s leading voice for domestic violence victims and their advocates and Uber’s very first national partner to address women’s safety, NNEDV works with service providers, state coalitions, and corporations to understand the ongoing and emerging needs of domestic violence victims.

NO MORE 

Dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault by increasing awareness, inspiring action and fueling culture change, NO MORE has partnered with Uber to create and launch the #DontStandBy bystander intervention campaign to educate the nightlife community and encourage people to prevent sexual assault before it starts. 

Driving Change Globally: 

As a global company, our teams around the world are privileged to work with and learn from organizations on how Uber can drive change in women’s lives. This year, we’re happy to announce just some of our Driving Change partners across the globe, with more to be established soon: