Oct 5, 2025 By Karen Mansfield 5 min read

In August, a victim of domestic abuse was able to alert an onlooker to her situation at a convenience store in California – without raising the suspicions of her alleged abuser, who had accompanied her.

She managed to notify the person through the use of a hand signal, according to police.

“It was determined that a domestic violence incident had occurred, and the victim was asking for help using hand signals behind her back,” the Alhambra Police Department said in a statement after the Aug. 19 incident.

Organizations offering support to women and domestic violence victims have promoted the use of the “Signal for Help,” a hand gesture created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation for victims who are being monitored or can’t speak freely.

The organization created the gesture in the early months of the pandemic in response to an increased risk of domestic violence between members of a quarantined household. Several factors – including a lack of immediate support, financial issues, alcohol abuse – led to an uptick in domestic abuse.

The signal was designed so it could be performed in silence from a distance, over video chat, or even through a window.

“It’s a simple one-handed gesture someone can use, without leaving a digital trace, to communicate they need someone to safely check in and support them,” the Canadian Women’s Foundation writes.

The signal is intended to be easy to make, but distinctly recognizable. The gesture is made by showing an open palm, then tucking your thumb inward and closing the rest of your fingers over the thumb to “trap” it.

Organizations including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Women’s Funding Network have promoted the use of Signal for Help, and encourage people to call the authorities if they believe a victim to be in immediate danger.

But, just as important as knowing how to make the signal is knowing what to do if someone sees a person sending it.

Domestic Violence Services of Southwestern Pennsylvania (DVSSP) encourages people to take action if they believe a victim is in imminent danger or if something seems irregular.

“Any sign that someone feels unsafe should be taken seriously. Similar to the “see something, say something,” if you observe something with someone and aren’t sure, the DVSSP helpline is a great resource,” said Jackie Parker, DVSSP communications specialist.

The helpline number is 800-791-4000. A person answers the phone 24/7, and the calls are confidential.

“We want to stress it’s not just for emergencies; it’s also to refer to our services and get help if concerned about a loved one.”

The Canadian Women’s Foundation, too, encourages people to be proactive, and to call 911 or local emergency services if they believe a victim is in imminent danger.

The gesture has reached a much wider audience on TikTok, where tutorials explaining the significance and uses for the signal have been viewed millions of times.

And those viewers are indeed putting that knowledge to use, helping to rescue victims.

In one case from 2021, an abducted teen from Kentucky who learned about the Signal for Help on TikTok was able to alert a motorist about her predicament from the window of her abductor’s car.

“The hand signal is one of several efforts over the years to enable victims of domestic violence to discreetly signal they need help,” said Washington County Sheriff Tony Andronas.

Washington, Greene and Fayette County 911 operators are trained to be alert to discreet calls from domestic violence victims. For example, one woman in Ohio called 911 to order a pizza, but was actually trying to report a domestic violence incident.

“(Dispatchers) are familiar with the pizza call,” said a Fayette County 911 spokeswoman. “If someone is pretty adamant and they keep repeating something not related to a usual 911 call, we will pick up on it. Even if it’s a child who keeps calling and hanging up, we can get a good good location and send help.”

The 911 dispatch centers also are equipped with Prepared Live, a software tool that allows callers to livestream video and share photos directly with 911 operators.

“When someone calls 911, we can send the link to their cellphones, and they can take pictures of assailants, and with their permission we can see in real time videos of what is happening,” said the Fayette County operator. “And we can get a pretty precise location of where they’re calling from, too.”

Rich Policz, Director of Greene County Emergency Management Agency and 911 Center, said Text-to-911 is now available in Pennsylvania counties, and is helpful in situations in which a caller is facing domestic abuse and cannot speak.

In those cases, a person can open a new text message, type “911” into the recipient field, and send a short message.

“We’ve had a few calls since we implemented it a few years ago, but nothing major, no major incidents,” said Policz. “And we hope we never have to go through anything like that.”

There are other strategies available, too. In some doctors’ offices, a color-coded system with red and black pen is available. If a person uses the red marker, it alerts the facility that the person needs to or wants to talk to someone privately about issues.

In the United Kingdom, the Ask for Angela campaign aimed at helping women and men in unsafe situations in pubs, bars, restaurants, or other venues launched in 2016 and has spread to the Netherlands and Canada.

“Angela” is a code word that can be used by anyone who needs to discreetly ask for help at a bar if they feel they are in danger.

It was named for Angela Crompton, who was killed by her husband in 2012 in their home in England.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800-799-SAFE, or can text “START” to 88788.