A new anti-sexual violence campaign in the UK is going viral thanks to its innovative approach to helping women in uncomfortable or dangerous situations at local clubs and bars! Posters for the #NoMore campaign encourage women who feel unsafe to speak to bartenders and other staff and “ask for Angela”; the name will cue employees that the woman asking needs assistance so that they can call her a cab or help her leave an unsafe situation discreetly. After Isobel O’Brien tweeted a picture of one of the posters that was hanging in the women’s restroom, it was widely praised on social media; she says, “I definitely didn’t expect it to go viral but I’m really pleased that it has as I shared it to spread awareness.”
The Lincolnshire County Council created the #NoMore campaign to spread awareness of sexual violence and abuse (SVA) services in the region, but also to “Create a Culture change in Lincolnshire relating to sexual violence and abuse.” Hayley Child, the Council’s sexual violence and abuse strategy coordinator, says that the response to the campaign has been “extremely positive… The police, local districts, universities, [the county council], and many other professional partners supported the campaign.”
Responses to O’Brien’s tweet have also been overwhelmingly positive, with many people sharing their support and urging the UK to consider making Ask for Angela a national initiative. “Too many women don’t want to make a fuss be seen to over react when they should trust their instinct,” observed supporter Janice Mills on Twitter. “I didn’t expect to see it in the toilet but I thought it was an amazing idea!” O’Brien says. “I think it’s a brilliant campaign and although it may not always be necessary it’s definitely better to be proactive than reactive. It gives those who may be uncomfortable asking for help or saying no to a date etc an opportunity to do it in a discreet manner. It’s useful to have it in place as a safety net.”
For an excellent book for older teens and adults about the warning signs of abusive behavior, we highly recommend “Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men” at https://www.amightygirl.com/why-does-he-do-that
For books about healthy relationships for tweens and teens — as well as titles on recognizing and ending unhealthy ones — check out our blog post, “20 Mighty Girl Books for Tweens & Teens About Healthy Relationships,” at https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?p=11338
To help your Mighty Girl learn how to build supportive, mutually respectful relationships, there is an excellent guide that provides foundational advice on approaching relationships in a healthy manner, “A Smart Girl’s Guide to Boys,” for girls 9 to 13 https://www.amightygirl.com/a-smart-girl-s-guide-to-boys
For LQBTQ youth seeking relationship guidance, we recommend “Queer” for ages 13 and up at https://www.amightygirl.com/queer
For stories of girls and women experiencing and overcoming abuse and violence in their lives — which offer a helpful way to talk to young people about the widespread problem of violence against women — visit our “Abuse & Violence” book section at https://amgrl.co/1lQzaJG
Photo credit: Twitter at https://bit.ly/2f1pQnX
