Hi Canem Malum,

NSW police have launched a new campaign to try to
prevent sexual assaults before they occur and it
apparently involves those who feel that they may be
in trouble asking for a lady at the bar. The campaign
urges any woman feeling uncomfortable or scared or
unsure to approach staff and ask for Angela (eg.
Is Angela working tonight?) hinting they need assistance.

Staff will make sure that the person asking for help
will be removed from the threat - and will either call
someone for them - or see to it that transport home is
provided.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton tells
Mark Levy (2GB radio) that around 50% of sexual assaults
occur during the first meeting between the victim and
the predator. This program has stemmed from increasing
rates of sexual violence and the prevalence of online
dating services.

Commissioner Walton is hopeful that "ask for Angela" will
make offenders think twice if they know there's a
structure in place and a way for someone to seek help. It
may influence their behaviour. Apparently this campaign
started in the UK.

We have yet to see if it will work here.

//The campaign
urges any woman feeling uncomfortable or scared or
unsure to approach staff and ask for Angela (eg.
Is Angela working tonight?) hinting they need assistance.//

That's going to lead to confusion if there's actually an Angela working behind the bar.

I'm sure it's a well-intentioned initiative, but it kind of seems a bit pointless. What's the point of the cloak & dagger, secret codeword business when you can just go up to the bar or security and say 'Hey, that dude's really creepy, can you guys keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't roofie anyone?'

Which is entirely too much hassle for lazy security guards (and pub bouncers are amazingly lazy buggers), to they'll just use the deliberately broad RSA regulations to find some flimsy pretext on which to eject him from the premises. Problem solved.

This opinion piece says pretty much the same thing:

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/this-does-nothing-to-address-australias-epidemic-of-coercion-control-and-violence-against-women/news-story/69b7b6d8274dde7655194d50b119511a

I liked this quote:

"Every woman on earth has been on a dodgy online date. There are perfectly simple ways to get out of them if you’re still at a public venue. You make an excuse and leave. You text your friend. You do a runner. Or, if you’re really concerned that you might be in danger, you talk to a staff member using your big-girl words. Words like, “Hey, this guy is scaring me, can you please help?”

Quite.

ttbn said- "I started to read something about calling Angela, but I have to admit that I'm sick of of whingeing women and lost interest. Something about getting pub staff to ring the police if they THINK they are going to be assaulted? That should be popular with the bar workers and the police - not."

Answer- The sad thing is if we don't "call out" certain policies as "foolishness" others will believe that "the silent" approve. They are spending tax money on foolishness- our enemies are using our own systems to destroy us. When they do this we need to defend- otherwise they will attack without fear of recrimination.

Canem Malum,

That is precisely what women are now trying to do.
But it seems that some people feel threatened by
this. I am pleased that you at least understand. Kudos.

Of the 31 Australians killed by strangers each year, on average, only two are women, with criminologists reporting that these cases ‘don’t stem from any particular attitudes against women'.

According to the Courier Mail blokes accounted for a
whopping 82% of those charged with murders or manslaughters
committed last year. Males were involved in 82.6% of adult
male deaths, 93.5% of adult female deaths and 55.6% of child
and youth deaths.

Women were charged with 12.5% of all deaths, 10.3% accused
of adult male killings, 6.5% of adult female killings, and
44.4% of child killings.

In a small number of cases there were multiple perpetrators.

Domestic violence continues to be a major factor in
Australian deaths.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/rendezview/170-reasons-to-stand-up-to-violence-in-2018/news-story/08c130fef99c662d77b8be2b4af5d8e3

And -

On average, one woman a week is murdered by her current or former
partner, according to the most recent analysis of homicide statistics
in Australia.

http://www.ourwatch.org.au/understanding-violence/facts-and-figures