In the last decade, the “angel shot” is a drink order that has been gaining prominence in bars around the world.
But the “angel shot” isn’t a drink you can pour into a glass — it’s a life-saving phrase that secretly lets bar staff know that a patron is experiencing sexual harassment or assault.
It’s the same phrase that inspired Long Island bartenders Stephen Brennan and Jimmy LaSalle to create a new “Angel Shot” app — that allows men and women to “order” an angel shot with the click of a button.
“Sometimes it looks like a normal conversation, and then you don't know, so I wanted a way that customers can get in touch with me,” Brennan told Fox 5 New York.
The app implements common “variations” of the angel shot that quickly give bar staff added information.
For instance, if a patron taps the button to order their angel shot “on the rocks” the bar staff can order a taxi or rideshare service — through Uber or Lyft — on their behalf.
Likewise, if they order it “neat,” the bar is notified that the patron needs help getting escorted to their car and if they order an angel shot “with a lime,” the bar knows to immediately call the police.
What’s more, when users first download the app and create an account, they are immediately prompted to put in their vehicle information so that bar staff can ensure that they are safely escorted to the correct car if help is requested.
“You can write a message to the bartender with what you want done, how you want the situation handled,” Brennan said. “And then once you send that, your picture will show up on our device so we know what you look like.”
“You’re also able to put in your emergency contact so that if it is serious, you can put in the alert and everyone knows where you are and what happened,” LaSalle added.
So far, 50 bar owners local to the northeastern U.S. have added their venues to the Angel Shot app.
The co-developers hope to expand the app — which is available on Apple’s app store and Google Play — to more bars across the country in the coming year.
“Safety is at the heart of everything we do,” LaSalle told PIX11 journalist Matthew Euzarraga.
“Our app provides a simple yet powerful tool to ensure that everyone can enjoy their time out without compromising their well-being.”
Where does the phrase ‘angel shot’ come from?
“Angel shot” is a shorthand phrase for “Ask for Angela” — a sexual violence prevention initiative that was introduced in Lincolnshire, England in 2016.
The campaign — spearheaded by police inspector Hayley Crawford — was launched in the wake of the tragic death of local woman Angela Crompton, who was a victim of domestic violence.
The idea of the campaign was that if bar patrons felt uncomfortable or unsafe at a bar, they could go up to a bartender and ask for “Angela” to covertly signal that they needed assistance.
Over time, the “Ask for Angela” and “angel shot” safety measures have been widely adopted in bars around the world.
In many bathroom stalls it’s now common to see posters advertising “angel shots” and clueing customers into the initiative.
Six years after the campaign was launched, Crawford received a National Pubwatch Award in recognition of her efforts.
In her speech, she said that she was “extremely proud” that the initiative is being used in other parts of the world.
“I'm really pleased that people have taken it up,” she noted, “and it's just nice to know that this scheme is in place.”
Header image via Yan Krukau / Pexels
