A teenage girl in Kentucky was rescued from a 61-year-old man after she flashed viral TikTok hand gestures indicating domestic abuse

• A missing teenager was rescued after a 911 caller reported she used hand gestures that indicate domestic violence.
• The symbols have grown popular on TikTok since reports emerged of increasing rates of domestic abuse during the pandemic.
• The 61-year-old man found with the teenager was arrested for unlawful imprisonment and possession of child pornography.

A missing North Carolina teen was reportedly rescued after she used a viral TikTok hand gesture to indicate she was in danger and needed help.

The 16-year-old was found in Kentucky on Thursday after a 911 caller reported that a female passenger riding in the car ahead of them was using the signals, Fox 8 Cleveland reported. According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, investigators on the scene found the driver, 61-year-old Herbert Brick, in possession of a photo of the teen engaged in sexual acts.

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The signals – a mix of three hand gestures that convey “violence at home,” “I need help,” and “domestic violence” – have spread on TikTok as a means to help victims of abuse. In one popular video, which has more than 3.5 million views and 130,000 shares, a woman demonstrates how to subtly use the signals while on a video call with a friend.