A government initiative is spreading in French companies. In Lyon, Bordeaux or even Rouen, shop windows are decorated with a purple sticker with the words “Ask Angela here”. Objective ? Fight against street harassment.
Following the example of the United Kingdom with “Ask for Angela”, this initiative was born. The first name was chosen in reference to an angel, symbol of protection. The aim is to create a network of safe places throughout the territory to protect people who would not feel safe on the street. In France, 8 in 10 young women (aged 18-24) do not feel safe on the streets and most women have been harassed or followed on the street or on public transport, according to a YouGov survey published last March. This system is designed to prevent and combat this type of harassment.
People who don’t feel safe can go to a place with the “Ask Angela Here” logo and ask “where is Angela?”. The victims are then automatically received and taken to safety by the staff of the institution. Bars, convenience stores, hotels or restaurants, more and more establishments are following this initiative, which has been around for several months.
To participate in the system, an institution must complete a form and sign the engagement charter available on the government’s website. Employees then receive training from organizations such as Family Planning to know how to respond and listen to victims, while reassuring them and without passing judgment. Retailers who have already put the sticker on their shop window are eager to help and get victims to safety.
This initiative goes in the same direction as that of the “Angel shot” that has been around for several years in bars and nightclubs around the world. A person who feels in danger during a party can go to the bar and order an “Angel shot” provided by the employees.
(ETX Daily Up)