Ask for Angela

Ask for Angela is the name of a campaign in England that started in 2016 that is used by bars and other venues to keep people safe from sexual assault by using a codeword to identify when they are in danger or are in an uncomfortable situation. When an establishment uses this program, a person who believes themselves to be in danger can ask for Angela, a fictitious member of the staff. The staff will then help the person get home discreetly and safely by either escorting them to a different room, calling them a taxi and escorting them to it, or by asking the other party member to leave the establishment.

Posters are placed on the stall doors inside toilets of the establishments where the campaign is being implemented. The poster introduces "Angela" and asks several questions for one to reflect on the current position they are in. A variety of local support services are also promoted on the base of posters. The program is not gender specific and aims to help all people, so posters are placed in all toilets in the establishment. Not all bars and restaurants in Lincolnshire and around the world participate in the campaign, so staff cannot be expected to know the protocol when someone asks for Angela at these places. Staff at the bars and pubs that do participate have been trained and will know what to do.

The program started in Lincolnshire, England, by Hayley Crawford, the Substance Misuse and Sexual violence (prevention) strategic Coordinator for Lincolnshire County Council. Crawford started the campaign as a part of a much larger campaign, #NoMore, to decrease sexual violence and abuse in Lincolnshire. Anybody can participate in the #nomore campaign by posting a picture with the #nomore hashtag and keeping the conversation going amongst family and peers to raise awareness. The "Ask for Angela" campaign is named in remembrance of Angela Crompton, a woman who was abused and killed by her husband in 2012 when an argument about redecorating his house got out of control. The campaign name, "Angela", was also inspired by the meaning of the name which is "messenger of God" or "angel".

Ask for Angela gained many approvals, and sparked a campaign in the United States where they adopted the same idea but changed the codeword. In this campaign, people can ask for an "Angel Shot" and have it be "neat" (escort to car), "on the rocks" (call a taxi), or "with a lime" (call the police). Depending on the codeword after "Angel Shot", the bartenders will react accordingly because ordering the shot alerts the staff that they feel unsafe and uncomfortable.

Global implementation

When looking at the growth of the movement, Ask for Angela has expanded beyond both the US and the UK into other European countries as well as Canada, Argentina, New Zealand and Australia. In Australia specifically, the implementation of Ask for Angela has led to a broader campaign system that allows individuals to express feelings of vulnerability to others. This structured form of communication inside a bar environment allowed both victims and officials to better identify situations of domestic or date violence.

In Argentina, Ask for Angela was implemented more recently in February 2023, following their entry into the International Nightlife Association (INA), which has been providing guidelines on safety and sexual assault since 2017. The President of the Argentina Nightlife Federation (FEDRA) announced this new development, stating that they would be placing the protocol in various nightlife venues along with implementing safety and quality nightlife measures around Argentina.

With a larger global outreach by day, Ask for Angela has also grown its platform and worked to create a stronger digital presence. The movement now has a website called askforangela.co.uk that provides information about what the scheme is and how the public can support their cause. The team provides free downloadable resources such as posters, training workbooks, and design materials  that makes it easy for individuals to set up Ask for Angela in their town, city or venue. Furthermore, the website allows for exploration of training resources that range from in person sessions to online ones.

Criticisms

The "Ask for Angela" campaign has received significant criticism primarily due to its perceived focus on reactive, rather than proactive, measures. Critics of the campaign believe the efforts placed into "Ask for Angela" should be redirected to discouraging this unacceptable behavior initially. This statement was echoed by individuals, such as Geri Burnikell, a co-ordinator for SupportLine, who advocates for stronger sentences for those who commit crimes of a sexual nature.

While the method intends to prioritize the discretion of those seeking assistance, the growing popularity of "Ask for Angela" may render it a hazard, rather than a safety precaution. In certain settings, signaling discomfort can possibly alert predators to a potential target, thereby intensifying the danger to those in vulnerable situations. These complexities underscore the debate surrounding the efficacy and drawbacks of reactive safer measures.

Another flaw within the campaign would be the non-compulsory aspect. Reportedly, many bars and restaurants throughout London have omitted "Ask for Angela" in employee training. When asked regarding the initiative, one restaurant owner in London reported that a high staff turnover rate has created confusion and misunderstanding, and the expenses of the program were simply too high to justify keeping it.

In November 2024, BBC News published the results of an undercover investigation which had researchers pose as a couple on a date in different venues around London which claimed to be participating in the "Ask for Angela" scheme. In 13 of the 25 venues visited, staff did not respond appropriately to the codeword when approached by the apparently distressed female researcher.