Worried? Ask for Angela

Councillor Alison West (Lib Dem, Wallington and Downend) has put a motion to Fareham council proposing that the “Ask for Angela” scheme be recommended best practice in the next edition of the Council’s Licensing Policy.

The aim is to raise awareness of the Ask for Angela scheme, ande encourage licensed premises to voluntarily adopt it.

Ask for Angela is a not-for-profit scheme that was launched in 2016 and which enables individuals who feel unsafe on a night out to discreetly seek assistance by using the code word “Angela” with staff at participating bars, restaurants, pubs, and clubs. It aims to ensure that anyone who is feeling vulnerable or unsafe is able to get the support they need. Ask for Angela is needed because:

7 in 10 women experience sexual harassment in the UK (UN Women UK).

75% of victims of harassment have experienced this behaviour in person (Office for National Statistics).

There were 140,561 recorded hate crimes in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024 (GOV.UK).

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.

Alison said: “Ask for Angela is already out there but we know awareness is patchy, and adoption is inconsistent. By encouraging its use as recommended best practice in our licensing policy and promoting it more visibly, we can make it far easier for people to access help when they feel unsafe.”

The motion was referred to committee for further discussion, and we hope the Council will adopt it in the coming year.