In light of the recent news where a Vancouver mom was being followed, and other women speaking up to having the same experience, a local coffee shop is stepping up.
Harken Coffee founder Eldric Stuart, located in the Downtown Eastside, has a code order in place to help those that may be in danger.
If you are being followed, you can now enter Harken Coffee and use the following code order, “non-fat Americano.”
This drink doesn’t actually exist, but the staff knows what it means.
Once this order is in, staff will find out what you need, notify the police or a woman’s shelter, or let you wait in back area, or allow you to exit via the back gate if need be.
Stuart took to Instagram to announce the idea, and says, “at the very least, it might just make people feel a little bit safer to know that there’s an option out there.”
The Code Order Helps In Many Ways
The Instagram post reads, “Harken will always be a safe space for everyone, regardless of your sexual or gender identity, profession, race or anything else.”
View this post on Instagram
For anyone that feels unsafe, they can enter this safe space to get away or hang out.
Other than being followed, there are other instances a code order may be useful, such as if you are on a date with someone and the person makes you feel uncomfortable or unsafe
It’s this coffee owner’s hope that this will inspire other coffee shops, stores, restaurants and business to develop similar codes in efforts to creating peace of mind.
For more updates in Metro Vancouver, check out our News section.