Top tips to help you keep safe
Before your evening out
- Plan your evening in advance - Who are you travelling with? There is safety in numbers, so consider travelling with friends. What type of transport are you using to get to the venue? If driving, consider parking in a well-lit car park with a well-lit route to and from the venue - Check out The Safer Parking Scheme | Park Mark
- Do you know how you are getting home? Do you know what time your last train or bus leaves? Make these plans before you leave and share your plans with others.
- Is your mobile phone fully charged? Do you have the phone numbers of all persons in your group stored in your phone, in-case you become separated from the rest of the group?
- Consider carrying an ‘In case of Emergency’ (I.C.E.) card, with contact details of friends or family.
- Look for a venue that is displaying the Licencing SAVI award for safety.
During the evening
- Whilst there is safety in numbers, always be aware of your surroundings
- Do not leave your drink unattended or become distracted at the bar, and if you start to feel unwell seek assistance from venue staff. The safety initiative ‘Ask for Angela’ is being rolled out in bars, clubs and other licensed businesses across the country. People who feel unsafe, vulnerable, or threatened can discreetly seek help by approaching venue staff and asking them for ‘Angela.’ This code-phrase will indicate to staff that they require help with their situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist them. This might be through reuniting them with a friend, seeing them into a taxi, or by calling venue security and/or the police.
- Try to avoid drinking too much alcohol, particularly when in unfamiliar surroundings as you could make risky decisions and become less aware of potential danger.
- Never leave your drink unattended and keep an eye on your friends' drinks.
- Consider buying your own drink, watch it being poured and be careful about accepting a drink from someone you don't know.
- Think about drinking bottled drinks and avoiding shared drinks such as punch bowls or cocktail jugs.
- Regularly drink water in between alcohol.
- Do not provide personal details, especially your address, to someone you've just met.
- Always be assertive and remain vigilant. Look purposeful - it will reduce any perceived vulnerability. Be confident with any unwanted approaches by saying ‘Don’t touch me', 'No', 'Go away.’ If they persist, make sure you raise your voice and command them to ‘back away’ or shout ‘I said NO.’
- Licensing SAVI Supports the Government ‘ENOUGH’ campaign. Whatever form it takes, abuse should never be justified as ‘an act of love’ or dismissed as ‘harmless fun.’ Any behaviour that embarrasses, demeans, frightens, or distresses women and girls is abuse. And it has to stop. More details can be found HERE.
- Remember Drugs and Alcohol can severely impair decision making. Decide before you go out to only have a certain number of drinks and stick to it, tell your friends your decision. Health guidelines can be found around this for more info click HERE.
At the end of the evening
- When out with friends look out for each other and consider travelling back together, or “checking in” when you each arrive home safely.
- Always call or book a reputable Taxi or Private Hire Vehicle or use a Taxi or Private Hire office and never accept a lift from drivers on the street. Only Licensed Taxis can be hailed on the street so don’t ever hail a Private Hire Vehicle without booking it in advance. Never accept a lift from a stranger.
- When a Taxi arrives, always ask who they are waiting for before telling them your name. Never tell them your name first. A lot of Taxi firms will provide a female driver if you ask for one or will give you a password so that you know it is the correct Taxi.
- For more information on staying safe and secure visit the Suzy Lamplugh website HERE.