Airbnb Sexual Assault: How to Get Help
Airbnb has revolutionized the hospitality industry, allowing property owners to rent their spaces easily using a convenient app. However, the app has become a preying ground for predators as users and hosts have fallen victim to sexual assault, voyeurism, and harassment. If you or someone you know has experienced any form of Airbnb sexual assault, help is available.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
Key Takeaways
- If you or someone you know experienced sexual assault as an Airbnb guest or host you have legal rights and options including reporting to law enforcement and potentially filing a Airbnb sexual assault lawsuit.
- Investigations have shown that Airbnb receives thousands of sexual assault allegations every year – but due to Airbnb policies little is known about what happens after the incidents.
- Once you are physically safe, you should contact an organization like Helping Survivors who can put you in touch with an experienced Airbnb sexual assault attorney to understand your rights and options.
Airbnb Sexual Assault: A Growing Problem?
In 2021, Bloomberg published an investigation revealing that Airbnb receives thousands of sexual assault allegations each year. The report highlighted that government regulators, safety researchers, and the public have very little visibility into the scope and severity of safety incidents involving Airbnb guests and hosts.
Today, the problem seems to be growing—a recent CNN investigation revealed over 35,000 customer complaints of hidden cameras in Airbnb bathrooms, bedrooms, and other private areas.
Over the years, several high-profile cases have made headlines. In one notable case, a woman was sexually assaulted on New Year’s Eve in a New York City Airbnb rental. That perpetrator was arrested, and Airbnb paid a $7 million settlement to the victim for the harm she suffered.
If you or someone you know has experienced any form of unwanted sexual harassment, abuse, or harm by an Airbnb guest or host, you have rights and options to protect yourself and others.
- What is Sexual Assault?
- What is Sexual Assault in the First Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Second Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Third Degree?
- What is Sexual Assault in the Fourth Degree?
- What is Rape?
- What is Rape in the First Degree?
- What is Rape in the Second Degree?
- What is Rape in the Third Degree?
- How to Report Sexual Assault
- How Long Does a Victim Have to Press Charges?
- Can I file a Sexual Assault Lawsuit?
What Constitutes Airbnb Sexual Assault?
Airbnb sexual assaults and harm can come in many forms. Some survivors have difficulty labeling their experiences as assault. The following are some common examples of sexual assault, harassment, and other misconduct that Airbnb guests and hosts have reported:
- Inappropriate or unwanted comments
- Jokes of a sexual nature
- Voyeurism and video recording, especially in private areas like bedrooms and bathrooms
- Providing alcohol or drugs to facilitate sexual coercion or assault
- Fondling, groping, or other unwanted touching
- Indecent exposure
- Soliciting or sending nude photos or videos
- Rape and attempted rape
- Any other unwanted sexual activity
Notably, Airbnb has recently banned all cameras inside rentals to prevent voyeurism and non-consensual recording.
Steps to Take Immediately Following Airbnb Sexual Assault
Experiencing any form of sexual harm—whether as an Airbnb guest or host—can have lifelong physical, mental, and sexual impacts. If you suspect that harm may happen, will escalate, or has already happened, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your rights.
Your physical safety is first and foremost the priority. If you have experienced any form of sexual abuse, harassment, or misconduct by an Airbnb guest or a host, you should immediately seek physical safety.
You are likely in an unfamiliar place, so seek help from a nearby house, call 911, or go to a local business. These are all good options to remove yourself from the harmful situation and get away from the perpetrator.
If you experienced rape or physical sexual assault, you may want to go to the hospital. A hospital can conduct a sexual assault forensic exam with a rape kit. However, this is not required. If you do not want to have a physical forensic exam, you can still visit a hospital to document the experience and receive other medical care, such as STD treatment or pregnancy prevention medicine.
After you are physically safe, you should contact law enforcement to report what happened if you feel comfortable doing so. If you are in a foreign country or do not speak the language, you may first want to contact Airbnb using their emergency support.
Contacting Airbnb is the next best step, whether or not you report the incident to law enforcement. If the incident just occurred, you should use their emergency support line. They can help you find a new place to stay and ensure you are physically safe until further help can be provided. Airbnb has often provided alternative accommodations, flown individuals back to their homes, and provided car service.
They should not ask you to sign anything immediately following the incident while providing these emergency services. However, if they do, you should immediately contact an experienced Airbnb sexual assault lawyer or a loved one who can contact one for you.
We highly recommend you consult an experienced Airbnb sexual assault lawyer. They can help you understand your legal options and protect your rights as you take the next steps.
If you are not in immediate danger or the incident has occurred in the past, use Airbnb’s reporting functions to file a report to document what happened. Your report should include the date, time, parties involved, an explanation of what happened, and any potential evidence or witnesses. Ideally, you should speak with an experienced Airbnb sexual assault lawyer before filing a report, as they can help ensure you provide the necessary information while protecting your rights.
Helping Survivors works with trusted law firms nationwide. We can connect you with an experienced Airbnb sexual assault lawyer today for free.
The lawyers we work with provide free consultations to advise you regarding your rights and options. If you choose to pursue legal action, including filing an Airbnb lawsuit for sexual assault, they can represent you on a contingency fee basis. Under this arrangement, you will not pay any upfront costs. The lawyer only gets paid if and when you recover compensation.
Airbnb Sexual Assault: Legal Rights and Options
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault as an Airbnb guest or host, you have legal rights and options. These rights and options will depend on various factors, including the incident’s circumstances, the applicable statute of limitations, and the laws of the jurisdiction where the harm occurred.
Additionally, Airbnb has a long history of using forced arbitration and non-disclosure agreements in sexual assault cases. Until 2017, Airbnb required every person who received assistance for sexual assault to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Today, Airbnb will still try to use tactics to protect its business and its bottom line. However, survivors have more legal rights and options to seek justice and healing.
Report Airbnb Sexual Assault to Law Enforcement
If you choose to pursue legal action, you should report the incident to law enforcement as soon as possible. Reporting the misconduct to law enforcement will trigger a criminal investigation and may result in criminal charges against the individual who caused the harm.
Filing a police report for Airbnb sexual assault does more than just launch a criminal investigation. It also creates a paper trail documenting the harm. This documentation can be critical should you wish to seek support in the future or file a civil lawsuit for Airbnb sexual assault.
File a Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against Airbnb
An Airbnb Sexual assault can have long-lasting impacts on anyone. You expected a safe and fun trip and instead have suffered harm and trauma. Many survivors have bravely come forward over the last few years and filed sexual assault lawsuits against Airbnb and the perpetrators who harmed them.
In general, most sexual lawsuits against Airbnb allege at least one of the following failures or negligent business practices:
- It failed to perform proper background or criminal record checks on the host.
- It knowingly allowed someone with a history of sexual assault to use the app.
- It failed to ban an individual from the platform despite a prior report.
- It required the user to sign a non-disclosure agreement prohibiting them from discussing the incident.
- It allowed a rental host to operate in violation of the law or company policies.
An Airbnb sexual assault lawsuit seeks monetary compensation for the harm and resulting damages. While no amount of money can undo the trauma, monetary damages can help compensate for the following losses:
- Medical expenses
- Mental health treatment
- Lost employment earnings for any lost income the assault caused
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Punitive damages intended to punish the company or perpetrator
You may also be entitled to protect your identity by filing the lawsuit under seal or anonymously as a “Jane or John Doe.”
We are here to listen and advocate for you.
Airbnb Sexual Assault Lawsuit FAQ
How long do you have to sue for being sexually assaulted in an Airbnb?
The statute of limitations in the jurisdiction where the harm occurred dictates the deadline for filing suit. The deadline is as little as one year in some jurisdictions. Thus, speak with a knowledgeable and experienced attorney as soon as possible, regardless of whether you want to file today or are still exploring your rights and options. Time is of the essence.
Can you sue for being sexually assaulted in an Airbnb?
What is the average settlement for an Airbnb sexual assault lawsuit?
How can an Airbnb sexual assault lawyer help?
During an initial consultation, an attorney can analyze your case and advise you regarding your rights and legal options. An experienced attorney can also help you draft the report to Airbnb and help you file a police report. If you choose to pursue a lawsuit against Airbnb and the perpetrator, the attorney will investigate, gather evidence, draft and file the legal paperwork, litigate your case, negotiate for a fair and just settlement, and represent you in court proceedings.
At Helping Survivors, all the lawyers we work with offer free consultations and take these cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will have no upfront costs.
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