Ask for Angela

AskforAngela Safety Campaign

The Ask for Angela campaign is aimed at helping women and men in unsafe situations in pubs and bars.

‘Angela’ - a fictitious member of staff - is the safe word which can be used by anyone who needs to discreetly ask for help at the venue by asking staff at the bar if they feel they are in danger, or an uncomfortable situation.

Pubs, bars and other venues will place posters in toilets promoting the safety campaign, reminding people that there is help on-site should they need it.

Bar staff and managers will know that the person requesting to speak with ‘Angela’ needs assistance and will help them.

This could mean reuniting them with a friend, helping them to a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police if required.

Venues that have the scheme implemented will have staff training on how to deal with situations that arise appropriately, and guidance materials for staff will be given out.

Inspector Crawford created the Ask for Angela campaign in 2016.

At the time she worked as a strategic lead for sexual violence and abuse for Lincolnshire County Council. She started the scheme as part of a wider project to decrease sexual violence and abuse in the night-time economy.

Inspector Crawford said:

"I named 'Angela' after Angela Crompton (Nee Phillips) who was abused and killed by her husband in 2012.

"Angela was a good friend of my best friend and her murder devastated those who knew her.

"By using the name of ‘Angela’ for this campaign it felt like a fitting dedication to her as now she was helping to save other victims of abuse.

“The scheme received so much positivity when it began in Lincolnshire and soon was replicated all over the United Kingdom and different parts of the world including the United States and Australia.

Inspector Crawford added:

“The public like that they can ask for help and have that safety net when dating or drinking and the scheme is so simple it makes it easy for businesses to implement.

“I am so passionate about protecting people and addressing issues and inequalities and making sure women and girls are protected in all walks of life.

“But this project isn’t just aimed at women, it's targeted at all genders, and I want anyone in need of help to realise they can come forward, use the safe word and not be scared to speak up and ask for help. This scheme is relevant to anyone who may feel vulnerable, distressed, upset or in need of assistance.

“No-one should ever be in a situation where they feel unsafe, and I hope by rolling this project out across all areas of Nottinghamshire, people will feel safer on a night out or date knowing help will be there should it be needed.

"Ask for Angela is an excellent way for people to discreetly signal they need help when they feel unsafe.

"No matter the reason, if you don't feel quite right about the situation you are in, don't hesitate to go to bar staff and ask for Angela to get help.”

A Nottinghamshire Women’s Aid spokesperson said:

“We support this campaign as it provides another opportunity for people to ask and get support in our community."

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Angela Kandola, who leads on Violence Against Women and Girls, said:

“Ask for Angela is a long-standing campaign and one we know is a helpful tactic used in the night-time economy to help anyone who may be in an awkward or unsafe situation in a bar or pub.

“Violence against women and girls is a national issue, but here in Nottinghamshire partners including blue light services, local authorities and support services have a strong track record of working together to prevent VAWG and support survivors, and initiatives like this help strengthen our collective efforts to create a safer Nottinghamshire for all.

“By getting more venues on board across our county and raising awareness, we are putting measures in place to ensure the public are safeguarded.”

Please see below for free resources for venues to print and use.