Volatility impulse response functions (VIRFs) have been introduced to unravel the effects of shocks on (co-)variances for the case of classical multivariate GARCH specifications. This paper proposes generalized VIRFs for the case of asymmetric specifications which capture stylized features such as the leverage effect. In a bivariate application comprising a global equity index and gold prices, we show that generalized VIRFs can be used to reassess the role of gold as a safe-haven asset.