Don’t ignore the red flags this Valentine’s weekend

Police in North promote 'Ask Angela' initiative.

Police in Northern Ireland have warned people heading out this weekend in the hopes of finding the ‘one’ ahead of Valentine’s Day, February 14, to have an “enjoyable time” but warn those meeting face to face for the first time to trust their gut and “don’t ignore the red flags”.

Officers are reminding people of the steps they can take to ensure their safety and urging people to report any suspicious or concerning behaviour.

Detective Superintendent Lindsay Fisher said: “Whilst the majority of people using online dating sites and apps are doing so with honest intentions, our experiences show us there are people on there who may not be who they say they are or who display sexual predatory behaviour.

“With people heading out this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s we are likely to see an increase in people meeting someone they have been chatting to online, in person for the first time and we want to ensure they do this safely.

“If you are making the decision to meet somebody for the first time face to face, make sure to meet in a public place, make friends and family aware of this meeting and your location and don’t be afraid to raise the alarm if something doesn’t feel right.

“People’s safety is of paramount importance to us so we are keen to hear from anyone this weekend and beyond who is concerned about the behaviour of someone they are talking to or have met online. We take reports like this incredibly seriously and will carry out a robust investigation to relentlessly pursue perpetrators.

“We will also have officers out and about on patrol in high footfall areas looking out for predatory behaviours and safeguarding those presenting as vulnerable.”

In the run to last Christmas the Police Service launched ‘Ask for Angela’. Now, just ten weeks on, the number of local businesses participating has more than doubled with nearly 300 signed up.

By asking for ‘Angela’, a person who may be feeling uncomfortable on a date or feel unsafe within a licensed venue can quickly alert staff. They can then help reunite them with a person they trust, make sure they get into a taxi safely, call security to remove who is causing distress, or contact police.

Police are urging even more local venues to sign up to this safeguarding initiative.