Minister Reveals Undercover Testing of Ask for Angela Scheme

A government minister disclosed that she secretly evaluated the Ask for Angela safety initiative at establishments throughout the UK. These clandestine assessments ceased when her public recognition made further undercover work impractical. The Ask for Angela scheme, established in 2016 and honoring Angela Crompton, who was murdered by her husband, enables individuals at participating locations to subtly request assistance by using a specific code word. Jess Phillips, the minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, revealed her unannounced inspections following a BBC investigation that determined over half of the venues involved were not properly executing the scheme. Phillips stated that she considered the responses she encountered in the pubs and bars she personally examined to be entirely inadequate. “I have tested the Ask for Angela system a number of times, not just in London, but around the country and where I see it,” Phillips informed the BBC. “And I have to say, I have always found the response wanting.” Phillips further mentioned her preference for “to test” safety systems such as Ask for Angela, but noted that her increased public profile now prevents her from continuing. These remarks followed a BBC investigation where undercover researchers simulated a couple on a date, with a female researcher approaching bar personnel in apparent distress and requesting Angela. The inquiry uncovered extensive confusion among staff. In over half of the 25 London establishments assessed, employees were entirely ignorant of the emergency codeword’s meaning, despite their venues exhibiting Ask for Angela posters. The BBC gathered comparable accounts from across the UK. Phillips commended the BBC’s investigation, stating she felt “really grateful to the good work done by BBC London in highlighting that”. The minister, whose prior experience includes developing services for victims of domestic abuse at Women’s Aid in the West Midlands, underscored that safety initiatives become “meaningless if you don’t implement things properly on the ground”. She stated: “None of these schemes are ever fit for purpose if they are not trained properly.” “New laws, things written down on fancy scrolls that sit in the basement of the House of Commons.” Her observations coincide with the government’s announcement of new training programs concerning spiking. Phillips highlighted the necessity of continuous training, rather than venues merely exhibiting posters. She described this practice as a form of “pink-washing,” where an establishment promotes itself as advocating for women’s rights but, in reality, fails to implement any constructive actions or measures. The term can also be applied to breast cancer awareness campaigns and LGBTQ+ rights. Subsequent to the BBC investigation, police forces in Cambridgeshire, the West Midlands, and Hertfordshire declared they had carried out spot checks. The BBC’s discoveries reflect comparable deficiencies in the scheme’s execution, as reported by women’s safety organizations in other regions of the UK. Employees at major chains, including Greene King and JD Wetherspoon, were among those who failed to recognize the code word. Greene King expressed concern regarding the BBC’s findings and committed to re-evaluating how the scheme was conveyed to its staff, while JD Wetherspoon stated it would offer supplementary training if required. Westminster City Council presently considers involvement in the Ask for Angela scheme a crucial element when determining the issuance of alcohol licenses. Public funds amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds have been allocated by police and local councils to promote this initiative. The safety initiative has since expanded to other nations, such as Canada and the Netherlands.