Within the final decade, the “angel shot” is a drink order that has been gaining prominence in bars all over the world.
However the “angel shot” isn’t a drink you’ll be able to pour right into a glass — it’s a life-saving phrase that secretly lets bar employees know {that a} patron is experiencing sexual harassment or assault.
It’s the identical phrase that impressed Lengthy Island bartenders Stephen Brennan and Jimmy LaSalle to create a brand new “Angel Shot” app — that permits women and men to “order” an angel shot with the clicking of a button.
“Typically it appears like a standard dialog, after which you do not know, so I needed a manner that prospects can get in contact with me,” Brennan instructed Fox 5 New York.
The app implements frequent “variations” of the angel shot that rapidly give bar employees added data.
As an illustration, if a patron faucets the button to order their angel shot “on the rocks” the bar employees can order a taxi or rideshare service — via Uber or Lyft — on their behalf.
Likewise, in the event that they order it “neat,” the bar is notified that the patron wants assist getting escorted to their automobile and in the event that they order an angel shot “with a lime,” the bar is aware of to right away name the police.
What’s extra, when customers first obtain the app and create an account, they’re instantly prompted to place of their automobile data in order that bar employees can be certain that they’re safely escorted to the proper automobile if assistance is requested.
“You’ll be able to write a message to the bartender with what you need accomplished, the way you need the scenario dealt with,” Brennan stated. “After which when you ship that, your image will present up on our system so we all know what you seem like.”
“You’re additionally in a position to put in your emergency contact in order that whether it is critical, you’ll be able to put within the alert and everybody is aware of the place you’re and what occurred,” LaSalle added.
To date, 50 bar homeowners native to the northeastern U.S. have added their venues to the Angel Shot app.
The co-developers hope to broaden the app — which is obtainable on Apple’s app retailer and Google Play — to extra bars throughout the nation within the coming yr.
“Security is on the coronary heart of every part we do,” LaSalle instructed PIX11 journalist Matthew Euzarraga.
“Our app offers a easy but highly effective device to make sure that everybody can get pleasure from their day trip with out compromising their well-being.”
The place does the phrase ‘angel shot’ come from?
“Angel shot” is a shorthand phrase for “Ask for Angela” — a sexual violence prevention initiative that was launched in Lincolnshire, England in 2016.
The marketing campaign — spearheaded by police inspector Hayley Crawford — was launched within the wake of the tragic demise of native lady Angela Crompton, who was a sufferer of home violence.
The concept of the marketing campaign was that if bar patrons felt uncomfortable or unsafe at a bar, they might go as much as a bartender and ask for “Angela” to covertly sign that they wanted help.
Over time, the “Ask for Angela” and “angel shot” security measures have been extensively adopted in bars all over the world.
In many loo stalls it’s now frequent to see posters promoting “angel photographs” and clueing prospects into the initiative.
Six years after the marketing campaign was launched, Crawford obtained a Nationwide Pubwatch Award in recognition of her efforts.
In her speech, she stated that she was “extraordinarily proud” that the initiative is being utilized in different elements of the world.
“I am actually happy that individuals have taken it up,” she famous, “and it is simply good to know that this scheme is in place.”
Header picture by way of Yan Krukau / Pexels
