We all do our best to stay safe when we’re out but sometimes we may need a little extra help.
Ask for Angela training means staff follow the right procedure to support and assist you through uncomfortable situations with no fuss, so you don’t need to worry about it causing a scene.
The assistance you receive might be reuniting you with a friend, seeing you to a taxi, or if it’s a serious safety issue, alerting venue security and/or the police.
Ask for Angela aims to ensure no-one need feel unsafe.
Ask for Angela is the not for profit scheme that aims to ensure that anyone who is feeling vulnerable or unsafe is able to get the support they need. This could be on a night out, on a date, meeting friends and other situations. Ask for Angela is needed because:
- 97% of women aged 18-24 and 80% of all women said they had been sexually harassed in public spaces in the UK.
- 53% of women experience sexual harassment in a pub, club or bar.
- One in five LGBT people have experienced a hate crime or incident because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
The scheme works by training staff in vulnerability management and what to do when someone Asks for Angela.
The trained member of staff will understand the person asking is in need of help and support and will be able to respond in an appropriate, discreet way. They might call security, lead the person to a safe space, or help them leave the premises unnoticed.
It supports venues to keep their customers safe, which in turn improves perceptions of safety and patronage in the night time economy. A recent YouGov survey on feelings of safety in the night time economy found that 49% of people and 63% of women would be more likely to visit a venue that had measures in place to improve women’s safety.
Ask for Angela is not for profit, any money raised is reinvested into activity to improve feelings of safety and reduce vulnerability. We are funded purely by public donations and brand associations, covering running costs and helping us to develop new safety initiatives.
The Ask for Angela initiative is now being picked up worldwide.
