A girl went missing from her home, and her life was saved by a hand signal that had been shown by many bloggers on TikTok. She managed to notify the people driving behind her that she needed help.
The police story revealed that the 16-year-old girl managed to escape from her captor’s hands thanks to a special gesture.
The Canadian Women’s Foundation at one time developed this highly approved help signal. The gesture was designed to unobtrusively indicate that the victim was in a difficult situation and needed help. By the way, the 16-year-old abductee was aware of this signal and decided to use it.
A video of the sign quickly went viral on TikTok. The gesture was especially popular during the general lockdown, when millions of families were trapped in one space. Statistics showed that domestic violence referrals skyrocketed during this period. And with this silent signal, many people were able to ask for help.
According to Officer Gilbert Axiandro, public relations specialist for Laurel County, it’s the best thing he’s encountered in his 50 years of service.
The leadership of the Canadian Women’s Foundation, represented by Pollet Senior, explained what the gesture was designed for. According to Senior, the new reality shaped by the 2020 pandemic needs new ways to communicate.
Also, the Canadian Women’s Foundation CEO noted that departmental bodies are working to adequately respond and counteract the surge in family violence. And the development of the signal gesture serves a supporting role.
It’s a fairly simple and easy to remember signal. First you have to show your palm, then bend your thumb and with the rest of your fingers close it into a fist.
The meaning of the gesture is that the bent finger, like a victim, is trapped by the aggressor. The gesture is quickly memorized and easy to repeat.
Another member of the foundation, Andrea Gunraj, confessed, “It is a great joy to me that the girl was saved thanks to the signal we developed. I am happy that the young girl made it,” said Gunraj. She was also happy to know that people understood the meaning of the signal.
Some Internet users noted the girl’s ingenuity, while others thanked the Canadian Women’s Foundation for developing the sign.
“Well done to the driver, he understood the signal and called the police in time. In fact, saved her life,” noted a Network user.
Another commenter wrote: “Never heard of this gesture before, now I will know. This should definitely be taught to others.”
