Why Australian women are approaching staff to "ask for Angela".

In 2016, the United Kingdom introduced an initiative for all Lincolnshire bars and venues called “Ask For Angela”, in an attempt to reduce sexual vulnerability for female costumers.

The initiative’s instructions were simple but boundlessly useful.

If a woman was to ever feel uncomfortable or like their safety was at risk, they were instructed to approach the bar staff and ask for Angela. This simple request indicated to the bar staff that the woman required assistance, consequently removing her from the dangerous situation.

We are looking at the #askforangela campaign – if you’re out in a bar and in a situation you don’t think is safe – then you can #askforangela at the bar & staff know it’s a code and will help you out discreetly. Share this important message #theoneshow @bbcone 7pm

A post shared by BBC The One Show (@bbctheoneshow) on Dec 14, 2017 at 9:59am PST

This initiative has since been adopted in many NSW regions in Australia, but most recently The Tweed-Byron Police District has accompanied the State’s other districts in support of the initiative just this month.

“Bar staff in our licensed premises have been skilled so that if a woman comes to them and asks for ‘Angela’, this is a code that they need to be removed from an uncomfortable situation they find themselves in,” the Tweed-Byron Police District Facebook page posted at the beginning of June.

“The idea is, that if you are out on a date, or even just on a night out, and you are made to feel uncomfortable, you could ask a member of staff for ‘Angela’, and they would understand the situation and call for a taxi or help you to leave discreetly.”

Cases of sexual assault are much greater in spaces where alcohol is served.

“We have seen an upswing in sexual assaults from people who have been at licensed premises … and that is the reason why we want to provide protection for women in these environments,” Inspector Cullen told NewsCorp in May.

“It’s important that we have something like this to assist women who may find themselves in trouble in our licensed premises, particularly here in Byron Bay,”said Inspector Cullen.

In areas where the initiative has been introduced, the staff of each licensed premises has received the requisite information needed for the appropriate assistance when women indeed “ask for Angela”.