I just spotted this PSA on instagram this morning.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation provides support and advice to women in Canada. At the beginning of Lockdown; they released the following video:

Isolation can increase the risk of violence at home. If this is the case for you, use this signal on a video call to show you need help. If someone gives you this signal on a video call, visit canadianwomen.org/signal-for-help to learn how to check in safely and find support resources in your community.

The Canadian Women’s Foundation

I’ve discovered via wikipedia that this has been adaptated across the United States also.

This is a potentially useful communication tool – sadly not a magic wand.

This doesn’t appear to have been adapted for use in the UK yet, though I have seen a few recent articles highlight it, so hopefully something formal will be set up soon.

It is desperately needed – as the Human Rights Watch notes.

So I’m posted this to say that I am aware of this signal. I don’t know that anyone I know or likely to video call me might need this information – that’s the pernicious nature of this sort of violence.

If I see it, I will try and help.