19th June 2024 – The Violence at Home Signal for Help

We would like to raise awareness of The Violence at Home Signal for Help (“the Signal”) for all our clients, their loved ones and the general public.

The Signal is a single-handed gesture that can be used over a video call or in person by an individual to silently and discreetly alert others that they feel threatened and need help.

The Signal leaves no trace and is performed by holding one hand up with the thumb tucked into the palm, then folding the four other fingers down, symbolically trapping the thumb with the rest of the fingers. It was designed intentionally as a single continuous hand movement, rather than a sign held in one position, so it could be made easily visible.

The campaign was created by The Canadian Women’s Foundation. The Signal is meant to silently communicate “reach out to me safely”, and advises that if someone sees a person using the signal on a video call, they should contact the signaler by another means (such as a text message or email) to ask them what they need.

The campaign recommends that contacting emergency services should only be done if the signaler explicitly requests this. Asking yes-no questions will reduce risk and make it easier for the signaler to respond.