D.C. Mayor’s Office of Night Life and Culture announced on Tuesday that it is joining forces with Uber, along with a number of agencies, for a “bystander awareness initiative” to prevent sexual assault. Focusing on the nightlife community (patrons, bar staff, drivers, etc.), the targeted campaign titled “Stand Up, Don’t Stand By” aims at “preventing sexual assault before it starts,” by raising awareness through posters, outdoor advertisements and social media. It is scheduled to be launched today at 11:00 a.m.
Other participants of the campaign are Mayor’s Office on Women’s Policy and Initiatives (MOWPI), D.C. Police Department, Collective Action for Safe Spaces, the D.C. Rape Crisis Center (DCRCC).
The Twitter post by the D.C. Mayor’s Office of Night Life and Culture regarding the initiative included a press release by the Metropolitan Police Department.
HAPPENING TOMORROW: @dcmonc, @DCMOWPI,@DCPoliceDept, @SafeSpacesDC, @DCRapeCrisis team up with @Uber to launch a bystander awareness initiative to prevent sexual assault. Read more👇🏽 pic.twitter.com/5WeCtc9I4W
— Mayor’s Office of Nightlife & Culture (@dcmonc) May 6, 2019
In its press release, the Police Department sums up the goal as: “To work across all sectors on a coordinated effort that empowers people with helpful tips and information they can use to be safe, such as encouraging friends to stick together or watching out for someone who may be too intoxicated.”
The campaign briefing set to take place at Sudhouse, 1340 U Street NW, 20009 will be presented by Shawn Townsend, Director of Mayor’s Office of Nightlife and Culture; Jennifer Porter, Director of Mayor’s Office of Women’s Policy and Initiatives; Lamar Greene, Patrol Chief of Patrol Services North (PSN); Chandra Robinson, Deputy Director at D.C. Rape Crisis Center and Wade Stormer, Law Enforcement Outreach Team at Uber.
Meanwhile, some Twitter users criticized the Office’s cooperation with Uber, citing the criminal record of the company’s drivers involving sexual harassment and rape.
https://twitter.com/TheSoulCab/status/1125539992279760896