New secret signal program to prevent sexual violence in bars expands to Ontario [Video]

A program to prevent sexual violence in bars has made its way to Ontario.

Designed by the Montreal-based non-profit organization The Social Collective, the ‘Order an Angelot’ program launched last year to help bars, clubs, and festivals prevent and intervene in scenarios connected to sexual violence.

How the system operates is that patrons in active distress can approach a bartender, server, or other staff member and request an ‘Angelot’ cocktail.

Staff will then assess the ongoing scenario in an active bystander capacity and prevent potential escalations.

The program accredits locations nationwide and trains staff to approach scenarios with an emphasis on early intervention, safety, and role-playing to ensure patron safety.

The Social Collective indicates that sexual violence has impacted 4.7 million women across Canada, with marginalized groups such as Indigenous women, LGBTQIA2S+ individuals, and people with disabilities experiencing these incidents on a disproportionate scale.

As the ongoing crisis of sexual …