The Home Office has issued a briefing for local partners on the new ‘Ask for ANI’ codeword scheme developed to help victims of domestic violence signal that they need emergency assistance from their local pharmacy.
Read an excerpt below and download the full briefing at the foot of this page.
What is Ask for ANI?
Ask for ANI (Action Needed Immediately) is a codeword scheme developed by the Home Office to provide a discreet way for victims of domestic abuse to signal that they need emergency help from the safety of their local pharmacy.
Why has Ask for ANI been developed?
We know that local areas are already doing great work to support victims of domestic abuse who may be more isolated and finding it more difficult to access help and support as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Local areas have worked quickly and innovatively to provide awareness-raising campaigns and initiatives that are already providing vital help to those at risk from domestic abuse.
The ‘Ask for ANI’ scheme is intended to work alongside and build on existing work and provide an additional tool that can be used to help the most vulnerable victims access emergency support in the community.
The scheme has been developed with the help of partners including the domestic abuse sector, pharmacy associations and the police and is being rolled out from January 2021. It is being independently evaluated by Ipsos MORI and we are keen to work with local areas to assess how the scheme is working and understand how it can be improved and adapted to meet local needs.
Read the full Home Office Briefing for local partners here.