On Monday, June 19, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. (EST), Crisis Connection will be hosting a Facebook Live “Cut It Out” training. All salon and beauty professionals are invited to tune in. Joan Knies, Crisis Connection’s Primary Prevention Coordinator, was trained as a “Cut It Out” Facilitator by the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence and will be leading the workshop. The event will be broadcast from Merle Norman Cosmetics graciously provided by Dana Berger.
“Cut It Out” is a program of the Professional Beauty Association (PBA) Foundation that has seen success across the country, receiving national recognition, training thousands of salon professional and cosmetology students. Participants in the Facebook Live ‘Cut It Out’ session will learn how to make a difference in helping those affected by domestic violence. The agenda includes the explanation of the cycle of violence and debunking any myths surrounding unhealthy relationships. They will learn how to recognize, respond, and refer survivors & secondary survivors (those affected indirectly by knowing a victim).
As of right now, Crisis Connection has reached out & spoken with approximately fifty beauty salon establishments in Perry, Spencer, Dubois, Daviess and Pike Counties. These businesses are pairing up with Crisis Connection and have agreed to provide materials for their clients. These resources include Crisis Connection posters and hotline cards that can posted around the salon, in restrooms, on mirrors, on appointment reminders, and shared on social media. Having this information readily available in these venues can provide a discreet way for victims to get help if they are uncomfortable reaching out.
According to Natalie Bolin, Crisis Connection Community Education Specialist, “Beauty Professionals are on the ‘front lines’. They bond with clients daily and have often created a trusting relationship. They are in a unique position to reach out and refer those affected by interpersonal violence to our agency for assistance. We so appreciate their collaboration.”
Odds are, in the time it takes to read this sentence, another woman has been raped, abused, or assaulted. Approximately one and a half million women are raped and/or assaulted by an intimate partner. Salon professionals that are trained to recognize the signs of domestic abuse can help to ensure that their clients do not become one of the statistics. No one deserves to be abused. These professionals can help people feel beautiful inside and out.
Crisis Connection is a non-profit organization that stemmed from the establishment of a hotline. It has grown in a multi-service agency and collaborates with many other organizations within the community. It is an organization aiming to have a community free of behavior that causes physical, psychological, or sexual harm to others. The mission statement says it all, “We promote individual accountability and respect to end domestic violence and sexual assault through confidential crisis intervention, victim advocacy, primary prevention education, and collaboration with community partners.” Contact Crisis Connection to learn more, www.crisisconnectioninc.org
