"In Toronto, police already record 17,000 to 19,000 intimate partner violence occurrences in the average year, with recent data showing a double‑digit year‑over‑year increase in reports despite chronic underreporting," shares Carly Kalish, Chief Executive Officer of Victim Services Toronto. "This summer's influx of visitors and the expected vulnerabilities that come with it create an urgent need for Ask for Angela's increased presence across Toronto, while also presenting a long-term, infrastructure-building opportunity to make pathways to help more consistently available, convenient, and approachable."
Ask for Angela's Local Presence
To expand local pathways to safety and professional support, VST first introduced Ask for Angela in the GTA in fall 2023. The trauma-informed safety initiative – which originated in the UK in 2016 and celebrates its 10-year global anniversary this year – allows people experiencing gender-based violence or exploitation to discreetly signal for immediate support at partnering locations using the code phrase: "Is Angela here?"
Through its Loblaw Companies Limited partnership, the community-based program has already effectively embedded an accessible support option into 225 local, everyday retail spaces that victims of gender-based violence and exploitation may visit alone, including grocery stores and pharmacies. Currently, thousands of frontline staff at participating locations across the GTA are trained to recognize the Ask for Angela code phrase and follow its clear protocol to connect individuals with professional support services, with QR codes available for additional discretion and choice. Staff have also received refresher training and quality assurance has been renewed in lead up to this summer's events.
"We're proud to have partnered on the local launch of Ask for Angela and have seen the positive impact of this transformative program in action across our stores the past two years," says Dean Henrico, Senior Vice-President Asset Protection at Loblaw Companies Limited. "This is just the beginning of what's possible through ongoing community collaboration, and we're eager to witness Ask for Angela's success grow as more partners join in."
How Toronto's Quietest Safety Tool Will Make Noise
With funding from the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services through Ontario's Action Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, VST is proud to be accelerating its proven, scalable model for Ask for Angela this year, strategically transforming a retail pilot into a lasting city-wide safety framework that delivers on the non-profit's continued promise of leaving No Victim Alone. Leading up to this summer:
- New, strategic local partnerships across retail, hospitality, healthcare, transit, emergency response, and tourism will provide program training to 8,000 additional frontline staff and volunteers, expanding direct pathways to crisis support in everyday spaces across Toronto. This growing ecosystem includes partners such as:
- CN Tower
- Courtyard by Marriott Toronto Downtown
- Delta Hotels by Marriott Toronto Airport & Conference Centre
- Hilton Toronto
- Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel
- Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
- The PrEP Clinic / The Ontario Prevention Clinic and Pharmacy
- Toronto Paramedic Services
- VST's first-ever Ask for Angela OOH campaign, inspired by the discreetness of the initiative, will disguise posters as traditional product advertisements, leveraging QR codes and a new dedicated website to increase program accessibility in high-traffic, public-facing spaces such as transit hubs, while delivering 64 million brand impressions.
- The launch of VST's mobile-first, interactive program partner map will offer a permanent safety infrastructure for victims experiencing gender-based violence to conveniently access pathways to support. The site allows users to locate nearby Ask for Angela sites or connect directly with VST, and it will be continuously updated with new, quality-assured sites as they join the program, making it easier to source help across all areas of the city.
Looking Ahead
The scaled capacity and awareness of Ask for Angela comes at a pivotal time for the city. Internationally, studies have linked certain high-profile, televised sporting events – similar to those Toronto will host this summer – to a significant increase in police-reported intimate partner violence. In Canada, researchers noted domestic violence calls in Calgary rose by 40 per cent during certain high‑stakes games, suggesting intense team rivalries and championships will present higher risk.
"The city's upcoming tournament has created real momentum for our work," explains Kalish. "We're using this moment to bolster the presence, awareness, and reach of Ask for Angela and the network of partners behind it – transforming it from a standalone campaign into a scalable, city-wide safety network that will be able to serve Toronto long after this summer ends."
To learn more about Ask for Angela, access or share the program, or explore bringing the initiative to your organization, visit askforangela.ca.
About Victim Services Toronto
Victim Services Toronto (VST) provides 24/7 immediate, personalized, trauma-informed support and advocacy for any person in Toronto impacted by crime or sudden tragedy. Working alongside police, healthcare providers, community organizations, and cross-sector partners, VST connects people with immediate safety, guidance through complex systems, and pathways to healing. Through prevention initiatives, education, and community partnerships, VST helps strengthen the network of support that keeps Toronto safe.
No Victim Alone.
SOURCE Victim Services Toronto
For more information: Sydney Brancatella, [email protected]
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