Brighton graduate launches new safety initiative for women at nightlife venues

Janelle, who is graduating this year with Business Management BSc(Hons), came up with the idea through her work with Brighton club night promoters Rox, who organise events at venues like Shoosh and The Arch.

With many nightclubs set to re-open in July after long pandemic closures, Janelle saw the #AskforRoxy initiative as a way to help women access help quickly and safely if they feel threatened while on a night out at a bar or club. It has been backed by local police, Brighton & Hove council, plus nightlife groups like Brighton Dance Girls.

#AskForRoxy features a WhatsApp hotline for use by anyone who feels threatened, which can be accessed by scanning a barcode placed on posters throughout a venue and in toilets. Two staff members will be on call throughout the night at every Rox event, and will immediately respond to any messages or calls on the hotline. People can either choose to remain messaging the hotline until they feel safe, or ask the hotline team to meet them and accompany them to safety.

Janelle Sultana

Rox say they will now only host events at venues which agree to use #AskForRoxy, while venues must also commit to hold all staff – including managers, bar staff and doormen – accountable for their actions. The hotline number will be displayed on Rox's social media pages, and people can also save it on their phone in case they ever need it.

The campaign is inspired by a similar initiative called Ask for Angela, where anyone who feels unsafe can go to the bar and alert staff that they need help from staff by asking for Angela. Janelle was keen to adapt this approach, however, to make it easier for people to access help discreetly.

Janelle says: “Working in the nightlife industry I understand it is not always as easy as going up to the bar and asking for someone to get help. There are so many different situations and scenarios that happen in clubs which may need instant attention which the WhatsApp hotline offers.

“As a young female working in a male dominated industry, it wasn't hard to discover that safety and vulnerability was a concern when attending events in Brighton. I decided it was time to use my position to make a difference and convince clubs to review their policies and facilitate and support our communities' safety.”

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