One in three women will report being abused at some point in their lives. Domestic abuse is dangerous and often much more common than people are aware of. The victims of domestic abuse often do not report it to police or tell their friends and family that it’s happening. For these women to get help, they need support and they need to know their options.
Cosmetologists and other beauty professionals can now look for signs of abuse and provide information for them to get help. A program based in Alabama called Cut It Out is dedicated to “mobilizing salon professionals and others to fight the epidemic of domestic abuse in communities across the United States. Cut It Out builds awareness of domestic abuse and trains salon professionals to recognize warning signs and safely refer clients to local resources.”
Your salon can contact Cut It Out for training and resources. As a cosmetologist, you may be able to notice abuse where others do not. Signs of abuse that hairdressers and makeup artists may notice are bald spots where hair may have been ripped out, bruising hidden by hair or makeup and a partner not allowing her to change her hairstyle. Your client may also come out and tell you about the abuse. She may rarely be allowed to be away from her abusive partner, and if you’ve had a long-standing relationship, it is likely that she trusts you.
But what do you do when you know or suspect abuse is happening? The Cut It Out training emphasizes that stylists are not meant to be counselors, but that they can give out information about organizations that can help them, like the National Domestic Violence Hotline or the local hotlines in each state. Some salons keep “shoe cards” on hand – cards with resources listed that are designed to fit inside a shoe, so the victim can get the information home safely.
Domestic abuse needs to stop, and the women who endure it often need help to escape it. With the relationships they have formed with clients, cosmetologists can be valuable resources in this fight against domestic violence.
