The Best and Worst Cities for Venues with Safety Initiatives in the UK

The number of people meeting through dating apps rising to around 11.7 million UK users by 2027 according to Statista. Staying safe when meeting strangers for the first time is a key issue. 

ONS states that more than one in seven women reported being assaulted by a stranger and nearly one in ten of those were victimised in an open public space. 

With this in mind, new research by  Criminal Injuries Helpline looked into first-date safety in major cities venues in the UK to find out how many venues had initiatives like “Ask for Angela” or alternative equivalents in place. 

The UK cities that had the highest percentage of “Ask for Angela” or alternative initiatives in place were as follows:

1. London – 93%
2. Brighton – 80%
3. Reading – 73%
4. Leicester – 74%
5. Leeds – 73%
6. Manchester – 66%
7. Newcastle – 60%
8. Cardiff – 60%
9. Birmingham – 54% 
10. Southampton – 53%
11. Belfast – 53%
12. Liverpool – 53%
13. Edinburgh – 53%
14. Glasgow – 33%
15. Bristol – 33%

New research by Criminal Injuries Helpline also revealed that only 69% of the women surveyed were aware of “Ask for Angela”, and on average only 15% of women said they felt safe in pubs and bars. The age group that stated they felt safest were the 35-44s. 

According to the UK census, 3.1% (2.01m) of the UK population identified as LGB in 2020. Yet only 1% of bars and pubs interviewed in the research of major cities stated they had an “Ask for Clive” initiative. Which was designed to promote safe environments for the LGBTQ+ community. 

__________________________________

Ekra, a solicitor who works with victims of abuse and violence, here at the Criminal Injuries Helpline, about personal safety and how to stay safe on a first date. 

These are her top five ways to prioritise your safety when you’re off to meet someone new:

1. Meet In A Public Area

If you are meeting someone for the first time, don’t meet them at your home or workplace, as this can give a stranger too much information about your life before you trust them. 

Instead, choose a busy venue with lots of people around. So, you’ll also be able to ask for help or alert someone that you’re in an uncomfortable situation quickly and easily.

2. Tell Your Friends & Family About Your Date

It is important to keep your loved ones in the loop when you’re off on a first date with someone new. Let a trusted person know where you’re going and when you expect to be home, plus give them any details you have about your date, such as their name and their phone number. 

Make sure to update your friend or family member if plans change throughout the night too. 

3. Look Out For Your Drink

Whilst you are out and about, make sure that you don’t leave your drink unattended. Some date rape drugs are odourless and colourless, so you might not even be able to detect that there is something in your drink.

Just to be safe, look out for your drink and don’t leave it unattended or accept a drink from your date that you haven’t watched being prepared behind the bar. 

4. Bring A Phone Charger

Before leaving the house, ensure your mobile phone is fully charged and bring a phone charger with you, just in case you need additional battery power.

This will make sure that you’ll always have access to your phone so you can update a loved one about your whereabouts, or call a taxi to get home safely. 

5. Trust Your Instincts 

If you feel like something isn’t right about your date, believe in yourself! Often, our instincts are right about this sort of thing, and your safety is imperative when it comes to dating. So, don’t worry that an abrupt exit will come across as rude – put your safety first.