“Angela is now saving other people”: The Lincolnshire scheme that went global
Ten years on, Ask For Angela is expanding with a new venue map - but its name carries a deeply personal story
Last updated 9 hours ago
A safety scheme created in Lincolnshire after concerns about sexual violence on internet dates has grown into a global movement - and ten years on, it’s still evolving.
Hayley Crawford, creator and founder of Ask For Angela, launched the initiative in 2016 while working as strategic lead for sexual violence in the county.
Support services were reporting troubling experiences - but police data didn’t match.
“We knew that people were having this experience, but not wanting to report to the police,” she said.
Some felt ashamed or blamed themselves for going on internet dates.
“Which obviously is not their fault at all.”
So Hayley set out to “create a safety net in the venue where people were likely to be going on their dates” - a simple codeword that could be used discreetly at a busy bar.
Ask For Angela allows anyone feeling unsafe to ask staff for “Angela” as a signal they need help.
But the name itself carries powerful meaning.
Hayley chose it in memory of Angela Crompton - a woman killed by her husband, and a friend of her best friend.
“I saw the devastation that that caused,” she said.
“What better name than to name it after a woman who has died at the hands of violence and to actually give it some meaning.”
Ten years later, the scheme has expanded beyond bars into cafés, restaurants and festivals across the UK and internationally.
“For me, it’s lovely because it means that Angela is now saving other people.”
To mark the anniversary, a new website and venue map are launching - allowing people to check which venues have signed up and completed staff training before meeting someone new.
From one pub watch meeting in Lincoln to a global safeguarding tool, the idea born in Lincolnshire continues to grow.