Airbnb pays $7 Mn to Tourist Rape Survivors in New York Rental

Homestay aggregator Airbnb paid $7 million to a tourist after she was allegedly raped at knifepoint in a rental property near Times Square in Manhattan, New York.

The Australian woman whose name has not been disclosed for privacy concern, said that the rape occurred when she, along with a group of her friends, was visiting New York City to celebrate New Year's Eve in 2015, according to reports.

The victim and her friends picked up the keys to the Airbnb property, according to a Bloomberg report.

It further suggested that a stranger, identified by police as 24-year-old Junior Lee, allegedly raped her at knifepoint after she had returned to the property on her own following the new year celebration.

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As per the reports, Police caught the suspect and found three incriminating items, including a set of keys to the apartment. Lee, who has been charged with predatory sexual assault, has pleaded not guilty but remains in custody. After the alleged attack, safety agents at Airbnb relocated the victim in a hotel, flew her mother overseas from Australia and offered to cover any health or counselling costs.

It is said that Airbnb wrote a check for $7 million to the victim in one of the biggest payouts the company has ever made and, as part of the settlement, the Australian woman cannot blame or sue Airbnb or the apartment host.

However, spokesperson Ben Breit of Airbnb, in a statement to New York Post, insisted that the survivors of sexual assault can speak freely about their experiences as part of the settlements the company has reached, including the Manhattan case.

Ben Breit further added, "We proactively reached out to the NYPD after the attack to offer our assistance for their investigation, and we helped get her into a hotel. The priority for our company and our executives was supporting the survivor and doing right by someone who had endured trauma."

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