RightRides for Women's Safety
Oraia Reid & Consuelo Ruybal, Co-Founders
RightRides for Women’s Safety (RRWS) is dedicated to creating safer communities by eliminating gender-based violence, from harassment to sexual assault. Through direct services, safety advocacy and educational outreach, RRWS engages vulnerable communities in programs, community organizing and collaborative efforts. Its central program offers women, LGBTQ and gender nonconforming individuals, free late-night rides home to ensure a safe commute to or through high-risk areas.
Currently, RRWS volunteers drive riders home on Friday and Saturday nights in 45 neighborhoods with high sexual assault rates and limited public transportation. Volunteers come from the general public and from the ridership. Volunteers go through training before joining a team. Since 2004, more than 2,000 riders have been driven home safely. In 2009, RightRides founded the New Yorkers for Safe Transit Coalition to eliminate gender-based harassment and assaults on New York City public transportation with the goals of education, community mobilization and policy changes toward a safer transit system.