Signal for Help

High school (ages 12+)
Safety & Emergency

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/signal-for-help

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the gesture type?Single-handed, continuous motion gesture
2. What is the date of introduction?April 14, 2020
3. How do you do the Signal for Help?To do the Signal for Help, tuck your thumb into your palm and then fold your four fingers over it so the thumb is trapped. Move your hand in a smooth, continuous motion. This makes the gesture easy to do quickly and quietly.
4. Why was the Signal for Help created?The signal was created because many people were stuck at home with abusers during the COVID‑19 pandemic. It gives a way to send a silent plea for help when you can’t talk out loud.

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV): A pattern of coercive behavior used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
Self-isolation Measures: Public health directives requiring individuals to stay home to limit disease transmission.
Non-verbal Communication: The transmission of messages or signals through a non-verbal platform such as eye contact, gestures, and body language.
Abuser-Victim Dynamic: The power imbalance and control exerted by an abuser over their victim.