ASK FOR ANGELA

The UK's Metropolitan Police came up with a brilliant initiative to protect women in bars.  It's available at participating venues throughout the UK and aims to reduce sexual violence and vulnerability by providing customers with a discrete phrase to gain assistance and attention from staff members, enabling them to be extracted, safely, from uncomfortable, or potentially threatening situations. 

By “asking for Angela”, an individual is alerting staff that they require help. They will be taken aside, or to a safer location, so they can speak in confidence to that staff member about what assistance they need.

Options available to staff include: offering to call a taxi for the individual; contacting their friends or family; or requesting that an individual causing the distress leaves the venue.

Posters are placed in the washrooms of participating establishments so that ladies know that the venue's staff are briefed and will help. The hope is that this initiative, or variations of it, will go global.