We present the “Ask for Angela” protocol for preventing sexual assault.

Ask for Angela or “Ask for Angela” is a protocol created in the United Kingdom in 2016 with the goal of providing a way to ask for help against sexual assault. On July 26th, Lluís Tubau, Co-Founder of Emergency Staff, and José Luis Benítez, president of International Nightlife, collaborated on a training workshop conducted for the staff of Ushuaïa and Hï, as part of an ongoing sexual assault prevention campaign.

How does the “Ask for Angela” protocol work?

When a person in a vulnerable situation in a public venue feels uncomfortable because someone is bothering them, escalating to sexual harassment, they can approach the bar or any staff member at the venue to ask for Angela—an action that activates a safety protocol known by all staff members at the venue. This coded message was created to allow individuals to seek help without raising suspicion from the alleged harasser, thereby activating the protection protocol without creating panic among attendees to prevent a potential sexual assault, by taking the following measures:

1. In the most discreet way possible, staff will proceed to separate the person from the alleged harasser.
2. The alleged harasser will be asked to leave the venue.
3. If the situation escalates beyond a minor offense, appropriate measures will be taken and the police will be called.

If the events are of a serious nature, security personnel must notify the police. It is crucial that, once the protocol is activated, staff act quickly to separate the harasser from the victim and proceed to effectively protect them, always with the primary objective of protecting the victim.

How do we promote the protocol so that victims know how to act?

Special measures are being implemented in venues where this protocol is active. Among these measures are posters in the restrooms with the following message: “Are you experiencing sexual harassment or feeling uncomfortable? Go to the bar and ask for Angela.”

Tubau emphasizes the importance of establishing safety protocols like this one in nightlife environments, noting that “one person alone cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone. Remember, if someone asks you for Angela, they are asking you for help.”

In collaboration with International Nightlife for a safe environment.