76% Untrained: Unpacking the 'Ask for Angela' Initiative – A Serve Legal Report

76% Untrained: Unpacking the 'Ask for Angela' Initiative – A Serve Legal Report

The "Ask for Angela" initiative is a critical safety tool designed to discreetly provide assistance to individuals feeling unsafe or threatened in venues such as bars and clubs. By simply asking for "Angela," patrons can signal staff that they need help—no questions asked.

While this initiative has contributed to safer environments, recent findings reveal gaps in its application that could undermine its impact.

In May 2025, Serve Legal conducted a comprehensive survey with over 450 participants to assess the effectiveness, awareness, and impact of the "Ask for Angela" scheme. The findings reveal critical insights into both its successes and shortcomings, particularly in the hospitality industry. Below, we analyse the key takeaways.

Awareness - A Familiar Name

Awareness of "Ask for Angela" is commendably high, with 93% of respondents recognising the initiative. The survey also found that 85% of respondents felt the "Ask for Angela" initiative makes venues safer for staff and patrons and 73% felt personally safer knowing the initiative was in place.

When asked here respondents had seen the initiative advertised, responses varied.

Posters in female bathrooms clearly dominate, while fewer than 5% of respondents saw them in men’s bathrooms and only 8% in unisex facilities. With 26% of our respondents identifying as male, this imbalance highlights a significant gap in reaching a broader audience.

Outcomes and Experiences

Despite high awareness, only 11 participants reported using the initiative. Among them, 7 were satisfied with their experience, while 4 encountered challenges due to untrained or unresponsive staff.

Positive Experiences

Several participants shared stories of successful interventions:

• "I approached the bar staff and asked for Angela. The staff member asked me to follow them and took me into a back room, asking me if I was okay and what was going on. He helped me get out of the situation by removing the man from the premises."
• "I was out and my ex approached me who I had a police report against at the time and I felt unsafe. I approached the bar and simply asked if Angela was working today and the man behind the bar was so quick and was like, "Yes she is! I can take you to the back as she’s working in the staff room right now." He then took me to the back and asked if I wanted a taxi service booked/ walked outside. Which he did and I was able to get home safely."
• "The staff did an amazing job at prioritising my safety and got me the help I needed quickly."

Negative Experiences

Conversely, some respondents reported inadequate or failed responses:

• "We got told by the bouncers there was nothing they could do and the bar staff seemed unfamiliar with the scheme & were unhelpful."
• "Asked, as I often suffer from rather bad anxiety in large groups if I’m unfamiliar with them and I don’t have a small group I can stick with. As I’m male, we often have to fend for ourselves, and bar staff assumed I was genuinely asking a question and didn’t understand how to help."

Insights from Hospitality Workers

As a result of the breadth of auditors we have working with us, we are able to specify survey responses by even more specific demographics. We asked further questions to auditors who have worked in the hospitality industry since the launch of Ask for Angela in 2016. 

Survey responses from 195 hospitality workers highlighted further issues.

• Only 36% of hospitality workers reported working in venues where the scheme was in place.
• Only 24% of hospitality workers surveyed reported having received any training on the "Ask for Angela" initiative.

Among those who did, informal briefings were the most common method, accounting for 42% of training experiences. In-person sessions made up 27%, while 31% completed online modules.Confidence levels among staff varied significantly: just 27% felt “very confident” in managing situations related to the scheme.

The Change We Need

The "Ask for Angela" initiative holds immense potential to create safer environments, but only if implemented effectively. Hospitality venues must take proactive steps to ensure their staff are trained, confident, and prepared to act swiftly and appropriately. By doing so, venues can provide genuine security to their patrons, preventing the dangerous false sense of safety that incomplete implementation creates.

To those in the hospitality industry: If your venue advertises "Ask for Angela," commit to rigorous staff training. Equip your team with the tools and knowledge needed to handle these situations confidently. Ensuring the safety and well-being of your customers should be a top priority—not just a marketing claim.

If you're interested in Serve Legal's best practice advice or audit services to evaluate the effectiveness of your Ask for Angela initiative, feel free to contact our team.