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What Is Ask For Amgela? Frequently ASked Questions

Helping people discreetly seek support in licensed venues when they feel unsafe, threatened or vulnerable.

FIND A VENUE

Ask for Angela is a simple safety initiative designed to help people who feel unsafe, threatened, or uncomfortable in a venue, primarily due to unwanted behaviour from another.

If someone asks staff for “Angela”, it is a discreet signal that they need help.

Anyone.

The scheme is open to people of all genders, ages (where appropriate), and backgrounds. If someone feels unsafe, they can use Ask for Angela.

Ask for Angela operates in: 

  • Bars, pubs and clubs 
  • Restaurants and hotels 
  • Transport such as buses 
  • Event venues 
  • Other public-facing venues that choose to adopt the scheme 

The scheme only works where staff are trained on their venue’s procedures and aware of what the request for ‘Angela’ means. 

If someone feels unsafe, they can approach a member of staff and ask for “Angela”. 

Staff should then: 

  • Recognise this as a request for help 
  • Discreetly remove the person from the situation 
  • Offer a safe space 
  • Take appropriate action based on the venue’s procedures (e.g. arranging transport, calling a manager, contacting emergency services if needed) and most importantly based on what the person wants to do.  

There should be no fuss, no questioning in public, and no challenge. 

No. 

Ask for Angela is not automatically a police response. 

The action taken depends on: 

  • What the person needs 
  • The level of risk 
  • The venue’s safeguarding procedures 

In emergencies or where someone is in immediate danger, emergency services should of course be contacted. 

No. 

While it is often associated with preventing sexual harassment or assault, Ask for Angela can be used whenever someone feels: 

  • Unsafe 
  • Uncomfortable 
  • Threatened 
  • Unable to leave a situation easily 

Posters: 

  • Let people know the scheme exists. 
  • Gives a message to potential perpetrators that their behaviour is not going to be tolerated in this venue. 
  • Provide a discreet way to ask for help 
  • Reduce the need for someone to explain themselves verbally 

Best practice is for posters to be displayed in all toilets and other visible and discreet locations. 

If staff are unaware or untrained, the scheme fails — and that can put people at risk. 

That’s why venues must: 

  • Train all staff 
  • Include Ask for Angela in shift briefings 
  • Refresh training regularly 
  • Ensure new starters are trained 

And that is why as a charitable organisation we are also setting out to raise awareness of the scheme so where those venues fail to train a staff member they will have knowledge of the scheme enough to know the customer is seeking help.  

Yes. 

Ask for Angela is designed to be free and accessible, supporting public safety and safeguarding. 

Digital downloads of posters, staff guidance, venue implementation checklists are all FREE in addition a range of short training is available.  

The beauty of the scheme is that it is simple and doesn’t require paid for training to implement, just a venues willingness to keep people safe, train their staff in the procedure within their venue.  

Yes.

Members of the public, journalists, and safeguarding partners may test whether venues:

  • Display posters
  • Have trained staff
  • Respond appropriately

This is why ongoing training and awareness are essential. It is a superb scheme and promotes your venue take customer safety seriously, but don’t get caught out by not training your staff.

Ask for Angela was created in 2016 by Hayley Crawford, when she was a Strategic lead for tackling sexual violence in Lincolnshire. Her idea came as a response to an increase in people meeting strangers from internet dating sites and wanting to implement something which provided a safety net in venues where daters were meeting. In addition Hayley talks about her lived experience of sexual assault in venues such as bars through her 20’s and 30’s and has set out to make social spaces safer.  

It was named after a real woman, Angela Phillips, to humanise the scheme and reinforce its message 

Venues, managers, BIDs, Pubwatch groups and partners can: 

  • Visit askforangela.org.uk and register or make use of the free training and downloads available. 
  • Email hi@askforangela.org.uk  

You can support by: 

  • Sharing awareness posts 
  • Encouraging venues to participate 
  • Following and engaging on social media 
  • Sharing positive experiences where the scheme has helped 

No. Ask for Angela is for anyone who feels unsafe, regardless of gender. 

Ask for Angela is named after a real woman, Angela Philips. The image on the poster represents the help you are asking for, not who is allowed to use the scheme. 

The founder intentionally chose to keep a female safeguarding figure. Having a woman as the symbol of support should not be an issue, it reflects empowerment, recognises the experiences that led to the scheme’s creation, and reinforces that women can be visible figures of protection and help. 

Men, women and people of all genders can and do use Ask for Angela. 

Angela is the support, anyone can ask. 

Yes. Ask for Angela is for anyone who feels unsafe, regardless of gender. 

Yes, where appropriate. Venues should follow their safeguarding and child-safeguarding procedures. 

Yes. You do not need to be experiencing assault. Feeling unsafe or uncomfortable is enough. 

Yes. If you are concerned about someone’s safety, you can discreetly alert staff. 

Venues can register interest via askforangela.org.uk or email hi@askforangela.org.uk for guidance and resources. 

No. It is voluntary, but widely recognised as best practice for safeguarding in the night-time economy. 

Under the Licensing Act 2003, all licensed premises have a legal duty to promote the four licensing objectives, in particular: 

  • The prevention of crime and disorder 
  • Public safety 
  • The protection of children from harm 

Local authorities, police and licensing officers expect venues to demonstrate proactive safeguarding measures to support these objectives. Schemes like Ask for Angela help venues show that they: 

  • Act early to prevent harm and escalation 
  • Provide a safe environment for customers 
  • Have clear procedures for managing risk and vulnerability 

While not a legal requirement, implementing Ask for Angela can support a venue’s licensing responsibilities and may be viewed positively during: 

  • Licence applications and variations 
  • Reviews 
  • Inspections and partnership working 

In short, Ask for Angela helps venues evidence good safeguarding practice within existing licensing law.