I’m lucky enough to have never had to really be involved in the ‘dating scene’ since I’ve been with Rich since I was sixteen, but it looks like something that would make me vomit with nerves. With tindr and plenty of fish and the other million dating sites out there people are meeting up with strangers everyday and though most of these dates probably go amazingly, there are those that don’t.
So, what do you do if you’re in the middle of a terrible date and need some help? In London and, as awareness of this campaign spreads hopefully the rest of England, people in need of help will be able to go to the bar or staff wherever they are and simply ask for Angela, this will alert the establishment that they need help and they will hopefully do one of three things. They will help them to get home via an uber or taxi, contact a friend or family member for them who will get them out of the situation or remove the person causing the discomfort from the establishment.
Having such a subtle and not obvious phrase to use could really help reduce sexual violence and vulnerability that is all too often experienced during dates. there are lots of apps, websites and phone numbers that can also help with this and though I would definitely recommend using whatever you can get, theres always that chance that your phone could die rendering them entirely pointless. Theres no chance of that happening with #askforangela and, provided the person you say it to is aware of it, theres pretty much no way it can go wrong.
I think this is such a great campaign and I really hope its something that spreads and helps more people get out of sticky situations. With the internet becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives we’re all becoming comfortable with meeting strangers from there in real life and though thats great, finding and connecting with people is brilliant, there is a very real danger that #askforangela can hopefully help to remove somewhat.
Free dating and online dating is great, it can be fun and you could well find the person you’re going to spend the rest of your life with! It’s really so, so, so important to stay safe while dating, especially the first few dates where you don’t really know each other yet, but don’t let that kill the fun! Be aware, be wary, but don’t be scared to have fun. Chances are whoever you’re meeting is going to be lovely and you should definitely go into assuming they will be, but always have a back up plan. Always tell a friend or family member where you’re going, what time you’re getting there and what time you’re expecting to be home by. Make sure to meet them in a public place until you’re sure you’re safe around them and remember that if you’re in trouble while on a date and need help, you can head straight to the bar and just ask for Angela.
-Dana
Carry on Beautiful! 