Drivers working for the ride-sharing company Uber in the District are now taking part in the efforts to fight against human trafficking with the help of a special training they receive from their employer.
The training took place on Tuesday, which is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. As a result of the training, the drivers are expected to identify a victim of trafficking.
The drivers were taught how to spot warning signs of possible such victims riding in their cars and how they are supposed to react when they suspect an individual is being trafficked. They also learned how to get in touch with authorities.
Speaking to WTOP, Tracey Breeden, Uber’s head of women’s safety and gender-based violence programs, stated that this was an expansion of the training programs that first started three years ago.
“We are uniquely positioned to really make a difference in this space,” she said, adding that it has also been rolled out in Latin America and some other countries, where Uber is operating.
In response to the news, some Twitter users referred to Uber’s poor record in safety issues, including rapes reported to police involving the company’s drivers.
Uber joins the fight against human trafficking in the District….how are they going to do this in DC and they out all over America raping women?!
— Ladyhadenough (@8a290f2f3d5343d) July 31, 2019
According to the International Labour Organization, more than 40 million people are currently used in modern slavery.
The D.C. Human Trafficking Task Force was formed in 2004, primarily aiming to raise the prosecution rate in trafficking cases in the D.C. area, as well as identifying and providing assistance to the victims of both sex and labor trafficking. The unit received trafficking grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in 2004, as one of the 42 recipients.
Any D.C. metropolitan area law enforcement agency or non-governmental organization working against trafficking can become a member of the D.C. Human Trafficking Task Force.