{"id":75934,"date":"2024-08-07T11:18:16","date_gmt":"2024-08-07T04:18:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/?p=75934"},"modified":"2024-08-07T11:18:16","modified_gmt":"2024-08-07T04:18:16","slug":"the-6-most-recognizable-help-signals-everyone-should-know-including-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/echowoven.com\/the-6-most-recognizable-help-signals-everyone-should-know-including-children\/","title":{"rendered":"The 6 Most Recognizable Help Signals Everyone Should Know, Including Children"},"content":{"rendered":"

When we\u2019re in danger, we should signal for help. However, it\u2019s not always easy. Sometimes a dangerous situation could escalate if we try to call 911 or scream for help from passersby. Subtilty could make the difference between being rescued or not.\n

Here are several help signals you could use to get assistance or support from people around you.\n

1. Keep your palm facing the camera with your thumb tucked inside.\n

\"\"\n

A teen who had been abducted by an unknown man was saved when she used this signal. She was in the man\u2019s car and a passing driver recognized the gesture from a Tik Tok video. So the driver called the authorities and they managed to locate the car and arrest the man who abducted the 16-year-old girl.\n

The way to do this signal is quite simple and it has 3 steps. First, you put your open palm up looking toward someone or the camera and then you bring your thumb inside your palm. Lastly, you trap your thumb with the rest of your fingers to create a fist. This method will let others know that you need help without alerting the offender that you are signaling for help.\n

2. Text the authorities.\n

\"\"\n

If making a phone call is impossible, you can text the police with your address and a very brief description of your problem. You need to remember that you have to be brief and not send any photos or videos or use abbreviations and emojis. Keep your phone on silent since the dispatcher might give you a call afterward to ask you additional questions. If possible, go somewhere away from your aggressor and answer as quietly as possible.\n

3. Ask for help in sign language.\n

\"\"\n

Another smart way to ask for help without saying it is by creating the word with your hands. In American Sign Language, you need to stretch one hand facing upward and then create the letter \u201cA\u201d with your other hand. You might assume that not many people will know sign language, but keep in mind that over 70 million people around the world are deaf. This means that not only they but their friends and families also know how to communicate with sign language.\n

4. Call the authorities to place a pizza order.\n

\"\"\n

In 2019, a woman in Ohio called the police to order a pizza, and thankfully, the dispatcher understood that something was wrong. That\u2019s because the woman gave him her address right away and from then on the dispatcher asked her questions that could be answered with a \u201cyes\u201d or a \u201cno.\u201d It was later revealed that the police weren\u2019t aware of this discreet alerting method. However, there are some domestic violence support groups that teach this method.\n

5. The \u201cAsk for Angela\u201d and \u201cangel shot\u201d signals\n

\"\"\n

The \u201cAsk for Angela\u201d initiative by the UK police started back in 2016 as a discreet way for people to ask for help when out at night. Any venue can choose to support this initiative and get official training so they know what to do if someone alerts them. Someone who is in a volatile relationship or on a fishy date can simply go to the bar or a staff member and ask for Angela. Someone who is trained will immediately assess the situation and follow the appropriate steps.\n

But this is widespread in the UK, and in the US you can ask for help by ordering an \u201cangel shot.\u201d There are 3 ways you can order the angel shot. You can ask for it \u201cneat\u201d or \u201cstraight-up,\u201d which means that someone needs an escort to their car. Asking for it \u201con ice\u201d means that they need someone to call them a taxi to pick them up. And \u201cwith lime\u201d or \u201cwith a twist\u201d means that they simply need to contact the police.\n

6. The \u201csafe\u201d signal\n

\"\"\n

The \u201cwin\u201d symbol or \u201cvictory hand,\u201d as it\u2019s most commonly known, has been used since 1941 as a signal of unity and victory. Later on, in the 1970s, it was used to indicate peace. Even today, it is known as a friendly gesture that people use when they are okay and thriving in life. So it\u2019s better to use this gesture if you want to let others know you are okay instead of the \u201cokay\u201d symbol due to the negative connotations it comes with.\n

BONUS: the \u201cSTAN\u201d and \u201cOKAY\u201d signals that proved to be wrong\n

\"\"\n