Ask For Angela
by Jade Whitbrook
"I created this piece of art with the intention that it might have an emotional response on my target audience, I wanted them to not only see the artwork but also read the information, and realise that there are consequences of their actions and to think twice before potentially ruining someone’s life as well as their own.
I chose the bright, vibrant colour scheme for the background lights as it’s captures the atmosphere and sets the mood of a generic bar/nightclub.
I wanted the female and male character to be in the foreground as they are both the main focus, I also stuck with the rule of thirds as I felt it was more aesthetically pleasing to look at."
You can download this poster HERE!
by Moesha Jones
"For this project, I was given the theme of making a superhero character for the ‘Ask for Angela’ poster. My drawing style is heavily inspired by anime so this was an interesting project to do. I went with shades of pink and gold/yellow as I felt that these colours work well together and stand out. With the pose, a strong fighting stance suited the character best and a smile to make her seem more confident and good natured."
You can download this poster HERE!
by Myah Barrah
"I’m really glad I had the opportunity to make this piece. Even as a young female artist I had never heard of the term “Ask for Angela” before.
I created this artwork in hopes that it might help someone, as I have incorporated advice on what to do in situations involving spiking.
The artwork depicts a typical bar setting and an otherwise innocuous scene. A less than typical demon, a club goer and a barman; the three individuals representing the danger of spiking, a relatable victim and where to ask for help.
This work was created traditionally, with watercolour and ink. Everything except the club goer and speech bubbles uses this method. The bright red, being sepia coloured, is to draw attention to the text and relatable character."
Ask for Angela has been a term for the past five years for people to use when they feel unsafe in night time venues, including pubs, bars and clubs. The LAC felt that the posters currently being used though informative lacked creativity and the ability to capture the attention of people passing by.
What is spiking?
Drink spiking is when someone has added something, for example, alcohol or drugs, to your drink, without you knowing. This may affect the way you act or how you behave. Drink spiking is illegal, even if the person affected is not attacked or assaulted. It can result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years for anyone found guilty of doing this. From August 1st to November 1 2021 - 76 victims said their drinks were spiked and reported the offences to West Midlands police.
There is a new phenomenon initially reported in the UK and Ireland where people, commonly young women, have found themselves subjected to stealthy injection of unidentified sedative drugs. This usually takes place in a busy crowded environment such as the dancefloor of a night club. A total of 19 needle spiking incidents were reported to the West Midlands Police from August 1 to November 1 2021.
Watch out for the following signs of spiking:
- Loss of balance
- Fatigue
- Lowering of inhibitions
- Visual problems
- Confusion (especially the next day)
- Vomiting and unconsciousness
Tips to avoid being spiked include:
- Stay with your friends
- Look out for one another
- Don’t accept a drink you didn’t what get poured at the bar
- Never leave your drink unattended
- Cover your drink with your hand or you can purchase drink covers (some bars provide them)
What to do if you think you have been spiked:
If you think you, or someone else has been spiked via drink or injection, it’s very important to get help.
According to St John Ambulance, you must do the following three things:
- Stay with your friends
- Alert the venue’s bar staff, security team or management, and the police, including reporting any suspicious activity or behaviour
- Call 999 for an ambulance if you believe you have been spiked - especially if there is loss of consciousness, breathing difficulties, or abnormal or impaired sight. Or call 111 for any other health concerns.
We hosted our Panel Discussion on Thursday 25th November.
The discussion was recorded live and took place in-front of our members, guests and members of the general public. This was followed by live performances from Osirus B and Master Ish who both performed their own tracks titled Ask for Angela for the very first time.
The panel discussion was titled "Why is spiking on the rise? What can we do about it? Does everyone know about Ask for Angela?"
The discussion consisted of Martin Murray (owner of UK's longest running nightclub), Jasmine Khan (local journalist who has written articles on spiking and incidents of female abuse), Paris Theodorou (Head of Theodorus Law Firm and Local Paris Councillor) and Alexander Mahrra (Director and founding member of Lawyers Arts Club).
