Tiktok User Was Rescued From Domestic Violence After Showing This Hand Gesture That Saved Her Life

In a world that is both full of kindness and cruelty, many people, particularly women, have experienced some form of abuse at some point in their lives. Domestic violence, unfortunately, is one of the most common issues that our society faces today, with an estimated 10 million people becoming victims of this every year in the United States alone.

With that said, a significant portion of these individuals has also gone missing. Thousands of young people disappear every year, and the latest census showed that over 360,000 children were reported missing—and that's just in the USA.

Our society has certainly evolved to be more aware of these situations, and initiatives have been formed for the benefit of all. This includes the Signal For Help gesture, an international symbol created to assist victims of domestic violence during the pandemic when victims could not escape their abusers amid isolation.

The sign was created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation, a national non-profit organization that aims to end abuse against women and empower young individuals by developing programs that can transform the lives of women and girls in Canada. It was then shared online, and it's fortunate that many people on the Internet caught on, including this 16-year-old girl who was just rescued after being seen showing this particular hand gesture, which led to the arrest of her abuser.

A teenage girl was seen showing a hand gesture that she learned from Tiktok, and someone recognized it as a signal for help and then called the police.

Riley

It was fortunate that the person who reported understood the signal, and the police did check the suspicious Toyota after the individual called 911. The witness was said to be behind the vehicle when they noticed a female passenger making hand gestures that resembled the signs known on Tiktok for discreetly communicating that they needed help.

The complainant then mentioned that the female appeared distressed and that there was a male subject driving the car. The person then contacted the authorities, and they dispatched police officers, including Laurel Sheriff's Lieutenant Chris Edwards and Detective Robert Reed.

This led to the arrest of a 61-year-old man named James Herbert Bruck from Cherokee, North Carolina.

Laurel County Sheriff’s Office

When the person who reported saw the gestures, he made sure to follow the Toyota to keep the police updated on its whereabouts as they pursued it on the highway. The police were in on the chase, and when they finally spotted the car, they stopped it and discovered that the teenager inside was actually the missing person reported two days prior to this incident.

The girl then told the authorities that the man had taken her to his relatives residing in Ohio, but his relatives found out that she was an underage girl who had also been reported missing. He then left Ohio and headed south.

It was during his journey to flee from his relatives that the girl decided to attract the attention of the person driving behind them by making a hand gesture.

Chris Heald

While it was not clear what particular sign it was, it was concluded that this was the hand gesture that is widespread on TikTok for raising awareness against domestic violence, which doubles as a cry for help.

Fortunately, the kidnapper did not seem to notice anything unusual. The sign was created and designed to be done discreetly but noticeable enough to alert others that someone needs help.

The sign in question was probably the one created by the Canadian Women’s Foundation at the height of the COVID-19 crisis.

This was a movement to help those who are victims of increased domestic violence during the pandemic.

Canadian Women’s Foundation

The sign is actually very simple, but distinctive enough that it can be subtly done. The gesture starts with facing your palm towards the other person, then you tuck your thumb inwards into your palm and fold your other four fingers to cover it.

The sign was originally created in April 2020, when victims of abuse could not easily rely on shelters, workplaces, and the outside world anymore due to being quarantined in unsafe environments. This led the Canadian Women's Foundation, together with the Women's Funding Network, to spread awareness about this hand gesture to encourage others to be more vigilant if they see telltale signs of abuse.

Canadian Women’s Foundation

The man was subjected to unlawful imprisonment and was also accused of possessing videos that portrayed minors in a horrifying sexual manner. The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office not only arrested him for first-degree unlawful imprisonment, but he was also arrested for the possession of matter depicting sexual performance by a minor between the ages of 12 and 18—first offense.

Canadian Women’s Foundation

True enough, stories like this prove that the initiative was indeed a success. The hand gesture seems to have expanded its meaning from letting others know you are a victim of domestic violence, and now it's a general symbol for distress.

Come to think of it, if the person had not recognized the hand signal, no one would really know what would have happened to the girl. Kudos to the organization and the magic of social media for saving this girl's life!

Canadian Women’s Foundation

Here's what people have to say after hearing this story:

Thank God, indeed.

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There's always something to learn on social media. I'm glad that some of it teaches us to save lives.

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Seconded.

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100% agree. This problem is alarmingly common, and we need to take measures such as this to decrease the tragic rates.

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Oh, to live in a world that's safe from the predatory eyes of men...

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It's not as discreet, though. And what if the victim lost access to their phone?

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Oof.

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Let's just say we're all glad this all ended the way we wanted it to end.

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That's certainly something to ponder, but the man was wrong for many things, one way or another.

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Seems a little suspicious, indeed—but let's just be thankful that the man was actually jailed for his crimes beyond just kidnapping.

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There's really no way around this; we can't exactly raise awareness in secret.

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There is a lot in our world system that needs to be broken down.

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All seriousness aside!

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Indeed.

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Did you know this hand gesture before this story happened? It's a great thing that people on the Internet catch on to these kinds of things—which proves that there is still humanity on and off the screens, after all.

Comment down your thoughts below, or share this story with your family and friends! Don't forget to spread the good word about this hand signal, too.