A woman was stunned when a barman asked her to read a text message “from his sister” and it became an experience she’ll never forget. Drinking alone in a bar should be a safe, relaxing way to pass the time for women but unfortunately, this isn’t always the case.
Many women have experienced unwanted catcalling, attention, pushiness and more from strangers and passing acquaintances in bars. In a bid to help enhance women’s safety, the “Ask for Angela” initiative was introduced in bars, clubs and other venues across the UK.
Signs are often displayed on the doors of toilet stalls explaining how patrons can discreetly ask for help if they feel uncomfortable or threatened while on a date or a night out.
Anyone feeling unsafe can simply ask a staff member for “Angela”, which signals that they need help or support to get away from the situation quietly and without making a scene.
Travel editor, writer, and content strategist Laura Motta didn’t need to ask for Angela when she was sitting near a man at a bar though as the bartender intervened.
In a post on X – which has since been shared widely across multiple social media platforms – Laura explained: “Was at a bar alone yesterday when the bartender said, ‘Hey, check out this text from my sister!’ He showed me his phone and it said, ‘Do not, under any circumstances, get into a conversation with the guy sitting on your right.’”
She added: “Men, if you are in a position to do this, DO THIS.”
In the comments section, people were keen to share their thoughts and similar experiences. One person said: “Clocked a guy following me in the mall for a while. Picked the busiest store to duck into – the Apple store.
“The greeter said ‘hello’, I told her ‘a man is following me’ she said loudly, ‘sure they’re over here, follow me’ as soon as he saw me with her he got angry and stormed off.”
Another shared: “I love this. I was once at a country bar dancing with a guy and decided I was done after he said something. He grabbed my arm as I tried to walk away. Bouncers grabbed him immediately and threw him out. So thankful for men that watch out for all women.”
A third said: “As a bar owner, there’s a lot of ways to teach your staff to look out for your customers, but the point is, you should be teaching them, not just hoping they do.
“It also goes the other way too, take care of your staff by kicking out the people that create a hostile environment.”
Laura’s post was recently shared to Instagram with the caption: “Now this is what you call an awesome bartender.”
An Instagram user commented: “Had a (male) bartender remove a drunk guy that would NOT leave me alone – he was touching my hair, staying in my personal space, breathing his hot breath on me.
“Best believe that bartender got a FAT tip and I still remember it ten years later. We love staff that look out for their patrons!”
Another simply said: “Holy s*** I love this!”
But someone else speculated the man may not have been a “creep” but merely overly chatty, so said they wouldn’t get involved.
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They penned: “Unless the guy’s problematic, in which case you should just remove him from the bar, you’re on your own, lady. That’s Gary, and Gary loooooves talking about peptides and seed oils. Have fun!”