Uber is teaming up with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to help prevent human trafficking, the ride-hailing giant announced Wednesday.
The new effort with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is part of a nationwide campaign that will provide in-app messages to Uber drivers throughout Texas.
So, why Uber? Human traffickers move people, often teenagers who are trafficked for prostitution, from one house to the next in order to avoid detection. So it's key that Uber drivers are informed about how to spot potential victims of human trafficking and how to report possible cases to authorities for further investigation.
Those signs from possible human trafficking victims include: uncharacteristically promiscuous behavior; a preoccupation with getting money quickly; someone accompanying another person who appears to be controlling; talk of the local sex scene; and signs of physical abuse.
The effort to alert drivers about signs of potential human trafficking in Texas is part of a broader effort across the nation. On Tuesday, Uber announced it would work with local law enforcement agencies and other organizations to fight sex trafficking in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl in Minneapolis.
Uber also recently shared a story from a driver in California who picked up a young girl who seemed inappropriately dressed and riding with two older girls. He listened to their conversation and realized the younger girl was likely in trouble. He remembered details of their location and called police after he dropped them off. Police found a man who had ordered services and made arrests.
"Ending human trafficking in Texas requires all of us to do our part, and I thank Uber for answering the call to action to help raise awareness and put a stop to this heinous crime,” Abbott said in a news release.
