Recently, a Florida restaurant, Iberian Rooster, has been the topic of many social media posts and news articles. The business is offering patrons something called an “Angel Shot”. I first came across an article about this while scrolling through my Facebook feed. Many of my friends had shared posts and commented on what a great idea this shot was. At first, I thought it was simply a piece about a new, aesthetically pleasing bar drink. Upon reading a couple editorials about it, I quickly learned what an “Angel Shot” truly is: a safety net for women.

For those of you who have not yet heard what this drink does, allow me to briefly explain. If a woman is feeling uncomfortable or unsafe on a date, she is encouraged to go to the bar and ask for an “Angel Shot”. The way in which she orders it will determine what the bartender will do. If she orders it neat, the bartender will escort her to her car. If she asks for it on the rocks, the bartender will call a ride for her — taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc. If she requests it with lime, the bartender will call the police. To learn more, a link to the article I read can be found here.

Now, I love the idea of a special “order” at restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. like this for a number of reasons. Providing women the opportunity to safely get out of a potentially unsafe situation is a promising step forward in preventing violence against women. With 1 in 6 women being sexually assaulted in her life, it is evident that strategies such as the “Angel Shot” need to be in place to help lower that statistic.

Another positive point about this approach is that it is subtle. When a woman feels unsafe in a situation, the last thing she wants to do is draw attention to herself. Being able to quickly slip over to the bar pretending to order more drinks is just inconspicuous enough that it will actually work.

However, now that people have been sharing information about the “Angel Shot”, I wonder if the name will have to be changed in order to keep the practice subtle. Perhaps businesses will need to periodically change the name of the order to ensure that the secrecy continues. I also have wondered if the number of women who have to request the drink could also have an effect on how often the name would need to be changed. Thankfully, Iberian Rooster has not yet had a woman need to use the “Angel Shot” and I can only hope that continues to be the case.