Last Thursday, a 16-year-old girl from the US was rescued from being kidnapped. She already had gone missing for several days when a motorist saw her making specific hand gestures sitting in the backseat of her kidnapper’s car.

These so called hand gestures are known as a representation of ‘violence at home, I need help or domestic violence’. After seeing the hand gesture, the motorist immediately called 911 and so the girl was saved.

The particular hand gesture is known from the app TikTok. It has gone viral on it, to raise more awareness on violence, for example domestic violence.

How do you make the hand gesture? Simply raise your hand, with the palm facing front. Tuck your thumb into the palm of your hand and after that you close your fingers over your thumb. If you are ever in distress, use this hand gesture so you can be saved.

Text: Manon Botterblom, Final editor: Laurentia Jora
Photo:  © Canadian Women’s Foundation