Free Uber rides and deliveries are available to women and families affected by domestic violence who need help getting places through welfare services.
Demand for the Uber Driving Change Program – a partnership between Wesnet and the ride-share company – has increased year-on-year and surges during the festive season, plus when other major events are on.
Wesnet deputy chief executive officer Madeleine Clark said the service might be used to get to a shelter or a police station, pick up kids from school or go to a doctor’s appointment or emergency care.
It is available through services that are members of Wesnet, the national peak body for specialist women’s domestic and family violence services.
People can organise a ride by talking to the service that is helping them, and then that group arranges it.
Wesnet data shows demand for the program jumped 63 per cent between October 2023 and October 2024, and 45 per cent between 2021 and 2023. More than 7400 rides have been booked since it started in 2019.
Ms Clark said anecdotally, front-line workers anticipate a rise in violence when there are big events and holidays.
Source: Domestic violence help: Free Uber rides available to get support | The Senior | Senior