Toronto's Ask for Angela: Safety Net for World Cup Crowds

0:00It's March 31st. From your city to your ears, this is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Toronto's getting ready for over 300,000 soccer fans hitting the city for the FIFA World Cup this summer, but officials are also prepping for a likely jump in gender-based violence. That's why Victim Services Toronto is repping up its Ask for Angela Program Citywide. The simple co-phrase lets anyone feeling unsafe signal for help without making a scene. Police here law between 17,000 and 19,000 intimate partner violence cases every year, with numbers climbing in recent years. Studies back this up, showing spikes during big sporting events around the world, like football games or rodeos that pack stadiums. The program kicked off in the greater Toronto area last fall, starting small and grocery stores and pharmacies. Now it's in over 200 spots, from hotels to hospitals and tourist attractions, building a safety net everywhere people go.

1:02They partnered across retail, hospitality, health care, transit, and more, training 8,000 frontline workers and volunteers with help from. The province. New as disguised as everyday promotions pop up in busy spots, plus a mobile map to find health fast. Just last week, it worked perfectly at a drug store, where staff got someone immediate crisis support on site. With summer crowds coming, this network set to keep growing and save lives where accounts.