The Canadian Women’s Foundation and a Toronto advertising agency faced a dilemma last year as they prepared to launch their campaign, Signal for Help, which they developed for women facing domestic abuse.
“It’s a question that we really debated at the very beginning when launching it, which is should it be a secret sign, should it be something that is not actually super well known, so that it’s not known by … perpetrators?” said David Toto, president of the advertising firm Juniper ParkTBWA.
“Or should it be known no matter what because in any case, the more people know, the better.”
They opted for the latter, a decision that may have helped save the life last week of a missing teenage girl from North Carolina who was rescued by police after using the hand gesture. She’s believed to have learned the distress signal after it went viral on the social media platform TikTok.
Hand gesture is simple
“It was really relieving to hear that this young woman was able to do this and that people understood what was going on and that they were able to call for help in that circumstance,” said Andrea Gunraj, the Canadian Women’s Foundation vice-president of public engagement.
The hand gesture is simple: Tuck the thumb into the palm, then cover the thumb with four fingers. It’s a way in which women facing domestic abuse can convey a message of help during a video call without leaving a digital trace, such as a text or email.
[embedded content]
But the gesture was used in another way on Nov. 4. A motorist in Kentucky contacted police after observing a girl in a car who seemed to be in distress and was giving that one-handed gesture that she needed help, Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputy Gilbert Acciardo told CBC News.
“We didn’t know what that meant. We had no idea what the TikTok signal was. But obviously the motorist did,” Acciardo said.
Police caught up with the vehicle and arrested the driver. James Herbert Brick, 61, was charged with unlawful imprisonment — first-degree and possession of matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor over the age of 12 but under age 18. The 16-year-old girl, who had been reported missing from Asheville, N.C., travelled with the suspect into Kentucky, Acciardo said.
“Heobviously thought she was waving at individuals and she wasn’t. She was using that signal, the TikTok signal, to signify, ‘I’m in distress,'” the deputy said.
“Thank goodness there was a motorist out there that interpreted that, phoned 911,” he said. “It was just a wonderful resolution.”
Acciardo added, “We don’t know what this guy was going to do, but we felt like we saved the young girl’s life.”
Pandemic led to rise in domestic violence reports
The Signal for Help campaign was launched last year, prompted by increasing reports of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With lockdowns, people were at higher risk of getting trapped at home with their abusers, Gunraj said. But they were also making more use of video calls.
WATCH | Rise in domestic violence could be linked to pandemic isolation, advocates say:
Increase in domestic violence could be linked to pandemic isolation, advocates say
4 months ago
Suspected homicides linked to domestic violence in Quebec this year have surpassed the total for 2020 and advocates say pandemic restrictions that kept people isolated at home are one factor. The rising cases of violence against women continues across the country. 2:01
“So those two factors together made a simple one-handed gesture that you could use without leaving a digital trace very helpful in a situation where somebody might be stuck in a violent home,” she said.
To come up with the right gesture, research began into different movements, other hand signals and international sign languages, Graham Lang, chief creative officer at Juniper ParkTBWA,wrote in May on the Little Black Book, a website that focuses on advertising news.
“It was critical that whatever it was that we created was unique and different, to not cause confusion across languages and cultures.
‘A metaphor for being trapped’
Lang said the foundation and the agency needed to develop a signal that could be made by a person while holding a phone — and a one-handed gesture was the solution.
“It came to us from the idea of tucking your thumb as a metaphor for being trapped,” he wrote.
Andrea Gunraj, vice-president of public engagement at the Canadian Women’s Foundation, says the goal was to create a one-handed gesture that would signal on a video call that help is needed but wouldn’t leave a digital trace, such as a text or email. (Canadian Women’s Foundation)
They then ran the proposed signal by multiple experts in the fields of sign language, domestic violence and gender equality to ensure that it would adequately convey their message, Lang wrote.
Following the campaign launch, the signal was adopted and promoted by the U.S.-based Women’s Funding Network. But it went viral after a TikTok user filmed the campaign video that recreates a situation in which the hand gesture would be used and posted it on her account.
In the case of the missing North Carolina girl, a motorist who recognized the signal immediately called 911. But that’s not necessarily the intention of the campaign, Toto said.
“The purpose was for responders or people that would recognize the signs to ask directly: ‘What do you need, what’s the best course of action,'” he said.
WATCH | U.S. teen rescued after using viral TikTok sign:
Teenager rescued after using viral TikTok hand gesture
10 hours ago
An abducted 16-year-old was rescued in Kentucky after another motorist saw the girl use a viral TikTok hand gesture signalling the need for help. The sign was introduced by a Canadian on the social media platform last year. 2:03
Gunraj said they have received a few calls of other situations where people saw the signal and were able to respond, follow up and make sure that the individual was getting the support they needed.
“But I’m really mindful of the fact that these things rarely come out in public conversation,” she said. “So I can imagine it being used far more commonly than ever would come back to us, ever would be spoken about and certainly ever would make the news.”
HOUSTON (AP) — Brian White scored in the second half to rally the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Wednesday night.
Houston (12-9-8) took a 1-0 lead into halftime after Ezequiel Ponce scored on a penalty kick in the seventh minute of stoppage time. Ponce’s third goal this season came after Amine Bassi drew a foul on Whitecaps midfielder Pedro Vite following a video review. It was Ponce’s sixth career appearance, all starts.
Vancouver (13-8-7) scored the equalizer in the 73rd minute when White, who entered in the 60th, used assists from Fafá Picault and Ryan Gauld to find the net for the 13th time this season. Picault’s assist was his fifth, matching his career high for a single season. Gauld’s assist gives him a career-best 13 on the season.
Yohei Takaoka, who had clean sheets in his last three starts, finished with one save in goal for the Whitecaps.
Steve Clark saved three shots for the Dynamo, who remain one point behind Vancouver in the Western Conference standings.
Houston, which was coming off a 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake, has allowed just 33 goals this season.
Vancouver — 6-2-2 in its last 10 matches overall — leads the all-time series 10-9-6.
The Whitecaps remain on the road to play the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday. The Dynamo travel to play Austin FC on Saturday.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Pearce and Nathan Saliba scored in the second half — the first goals of their careers — and CF Montreal rallied for a 2-2 draw with the New England Revolution on Wednesday night.
“In the second half, the guys came out a little more ambitious and above all, more connected,” Montreal head coach Laurent Courtois said. “It was a great second half of resilience and fighting spirit. Nathan and Sam were impressive.
“Impressive in covering the gaps and compensating for the teammates, and the individual defending – yes it’s true, it is a lot of weight on their shoulders, but that’s the job.”
New England (8-16-4) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the 24th minute on Bobby Wood’s third goal of the season. Teenage defender Peyton Miller notched his first assist in his fourth career start and sixth appearance and Carles Gil picked up his ninth of the season. Peyton, at 16 years, 315 days old, is the eighth youngest player in league history to record his first assist.
The Revolution took a two-goal lead in the 35th minute and held it through halftime when 19-year-old Esmir Bajraktarevic took a pass from Gil and scored his third goal of the season and career in his first full season in the league. It was the 73rd regular-season assist in Gil’s career, tying him with Steve Ralston for the most in club history.
Montreal (7-12-10) pulled within a goal in the 54th minute when Pearce scored off a free kick after defender George Campbell drew a foul on New England’s Mark-Anthony Kaye. It was the first goal for Pearce in his third career start and fourth appearance.
“Playoffs are the goal. Maybe it wasn’t in the best form, but in the end, we are picking up a point,” Pearce said. “We came into this game confident, ready to play our own game. Everyone tries their best, whenever the players are called on, we are always ready, and we are always giving it our best.”
Montreal scored the equalizer in the 68th minute on the first career goal by Saliba, a 20-year-old midfielder. Saliba has made 34 starts and 48 appearances with Montreal in his two seasons in the league. Campbell snagged his second assist of the season and the third of his career.
“It’s an incredible feeling, it’s a goal I’ve been waiting for a long time. I’m extremely happy that I was able to score it and that it can help the team take this important point on the road,” Saliba said. “Pearce’s first goal gave us really good momentum and we kept up the pressure to go for a second goal. We got more solid defensively, and we came back ready after halftime, to push for these 3 points.”
Aljaz Ivacic finished with four saves in goal for the Revolution.
Jonathan Sirois stopped four shots for Montreal.
New England beat Montreal 5-0 on the road on Aug. 24.
New England leads the all-time series 16-13-4. Montreal improves to 5-8-2 on the road against the Revs.
The Revolution travel to take on Charlotte FC on Saturday. Montreal returns home to host the Chicago Fire on Saturday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Adolis García hit a two-run home run in the sixth inning, Cody Bradford pitched seven strong innings after the worst start of his career, and the Texas Rangers beat the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Wednesday night.
The win kept the defending World Series-champion Rangers alive in the AL West race, trailing first-place Houston by 10 games with 10 to play.
García launched an inside sinker over the left-field wall off Toronto starter Bowden Francis (8-5) after Wyatt Langford singled.
“He swings hard, he swings a lot,” Francis said of García. “I guess the velo was dropping during that time.”
Bradford (6-3) allowed five hits and no walks while striking out six.
The seven shutout innings are the most in a game during his two-year career. He was knocked out of his previous start after allowing career highs in hits (nine), runs (eight) and homers (three) in 3 2/3 innings in a 14-4 loss at Arizona.
“Throughout the week, you’ve got to try and digest what happened, see where I can make adjustments, whether it was just game plan went wrong or just poor execution, or a little bit of both,” Bradford said. “Then you flush it.”
Bradford was perfect through four innings before Alejandro Kirk opened the fifth with a smash back to the mound that caromed off Bradford’s left foot and rolled into right field for a single. It extended Kirk’s hitting streak to a career-high 12 games.
Spencer Horwitz’s double to left-center put runners on second and third with no outs before Bradford retired the next three batters.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider credited Bradford’s “deceptive fastball.”
“When you’re throwing 89, 92, you’ve got to have pretty good deception with that at this level,” Schneider said. “Kept us off balance.”
Kirby Yates pitched a perfect ninth inning for his 31st save in 32 opportunities.
Francis, who took no-hitters into the ninth inning in two of his previous four starts, allowed a double to Marcus Semien, the Rangers’ first hitter of the game. He gave up five hits and one walk in six innings.
Francis has a 1.96 ERA in nine starts with 54 strikeouts and seven walks since being moved back into the starting rotation in late July.
“I don’t even want to get complacent, on cruise control,” Francis said. “Just keep attacking.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Blue Jays: SS Bo Bichette was a late scratch with a right middle finger contusion suffered during infield practice. Schneider said the team will get back x-rays on Thursday. Bichette was activated Tuesday following a calf injury and played for the first time in two months, going 2 for 5 with one RBI at the plate. … INF Will Wagner (left knee inflammation) will have the knee scoped on Thursday. Schneider said Wagner should be ready to start spring training. Wagner, son of former major leaguer Billy Wagner, was acquired from Houston at the trade deadline.
UP NEXT
Rangers rookie RHP Kumar Rocker (0-0, 2.25 ERA) will make his home debut against Blue Jays RHP Kevin Gausman (12-11, 4.02) in the series finale. Rocker allowed one run in four innings at Seattle last Thursday in his major league debut.
![](https://thumbnails.cbc.ca/maven_legacy/thumbnails/976/50/femicide-que-leavitt-200721.jpg?crop=1.777xh:h;*,*&downsize=510px:* 510w")
![](https://thumbnails.cbc.ca/maven_legacy/thumbnails/795/975/tiktok-hand-gestures-mauro-081121.jpg?crop=1.777xh:h;*,*&downsize=510px:* 510w")
