Airbnb Sexual Assault: What Guests and Hosts Need to Know

In this video, we’re addressing an ongoing and seemingly growing concern: sexual assaults occurring in Airbnb properties. These incidents pose serious questions about trust and safety for both Airbnb hosts and guests.

Over the years, reports have emerged from different parts of the world, where guests or hosts have been victims of sexual assault. While Airbnb has tried to keep these issues hidden by allegedly forcing those impacted to sign non-disclosure agreements – the media has found that thousands of these incidents are reported each year.

Airbnb sexual assault can include sexual harassment, threats of sexual violence, groping, inappropriate touching, indecent exposure, voyeurism, and sexual assault including rape. Any form of sexual misconduct is a violation of Airbnb policies and is likely considered a crime.

If you experience sexual assault as an Airbnb guest or host the most important thing is your physical safety. You should call 911 or the local equivalent and immediately leave the location. We recommend going to the hospital to get medical documentation of the incident. Even if you were not raped and are seeking a sexual assault forensic exam, going to a hospital can create an important paper trail to document the abuse and you can seek pregnancy or STD prevention medication.

From there, you should write down everything you remember happening and document any evidence including the individual(s) Airbnb profiles and any contact information you have for them.

We highly recommend filing a report with law enforcement if you feel safe doing so. Given you are likely traveling (or interacting with travelers), filing this as soon as possible is critical. Police reports generally must be filed at the local police precinct in the city the harm happened in. If you are in a foreign country, you may find going to a hospital and then contacting law enforcement as the best option.

After you are safe and medically taken care of, you should notify Airbnb through their official incident reporting process. They may reach out for more information – and we highly recommend only having conversations with Airbnb in writing and/or recording any phone calls if they are requested.

Before going further in communications with Airbnb, we recommend contacting an experienced attorney. They can help ensure your rights are protected throughout the reporting process both with law enforcement and with Airbnb.

Additionally, a lawyer can help you understand if pursuing a civil lawsuit against Airbnb and/or the individual perpetrator is an option you may want to pursue. A civil lawsuit allows you to seek monetary compensation for the harm you suffered.

Airbnb has previously settled claims with survivors of sexual abuse including a $7m settlement for a woman sexually abused in New York City.

Helping Survivors can help you understand your rights and options after experiencing sexual assault as an Airbnb guest or host. We can also connect you with an experienced Airbnb sexual assault attorney for free who can provide a consultation to help you understand if filing a civil lawsuit is a step you want to take and the process of filing a lawsuit. They can also represent you if you do choose to file a case and will represent you on contingency – meaning there will be no upfront costs to pursuing a claim and they’re only compensated if and when you win.

Please reach out to us today.