The daughter of Angela Crompton, whose name inspired the Ask for Angela safety scheme, is calling for stricter government action to ensure its proper implementation.
Angela was killed by her husband in 2012, and the initiative allows people in bars and clubs to discreetly seek help if they feel unsafe.
Hollie Crompton, Angela’s daughter, says she feels “validated” by the response to BBC investigations exposing failures in the scheme but insists more needs to be done. “We need safer spaces for women and tougher penalties for offenders,” she urged.
A BBC undercover report found that over half of the venues tested failed to respond correctly to the Ask for Angela codeword. In response, 34 UK councils have made the initiative a requirement for new alcohol licences, with 67 more considering similar measures. Some councils now actively test venues, warning that failure to comply could lead to licence revocation.
Angela Crompton was 34 when she was killed by her husband, Thomas Crompton, who strangled her and struck her with a hammer. Convicted of manslaughter, he served just four years in prison. Hollie was 15 at the time and remains outraged at the justice system, calling the sentence “a slap on the wrist”.
The Ask for Angela campaign, created by a violence against women and girls advocate, has since expanded globally. Hollie finds solace in the initiative, saying, “it’s helping so many people. I think she’d be proud”.
Following the BBC revelations, major pub chains such as JD Wetherspoon and Greene King have overhauled staff training and safety protocols. A Freedom of Information request revealed that £13.1 million in public funds has been allocated to Ask for Angela projects since 2021. While welcoming recent improvements, Hollie insists more action is needed:
“Only half the battle is creating safe spaces. The other half is ensuring people don’t commit these acts in the first place”
