There’s another way for women to report domestic violence.
It’s as close as more than 100 local salon professionals.
They have completed training in the CUT IT OUT program, organized by Brazos County district attorney Jarvis Parsons.
Salon representatives joining Parsons during a news conference Monday were Charlotte Greene of Chrome-A Salon Experience and Priscilla Flores of Funky Cheveux Hair Studio.
The training recognizes warning signs of domestic violence among clients, colleagues, friends and family; then safely refers victims to local resources.
According to a news release from the D-A’s office, salon professionals are in a unique position to recognize the signs and symptoms of abuse in their clients and co-workers. Because of the intimate and nurturing nature of the relationship between salon professionals and their clients and co-workers, salon professionals can often spot signs of physical abuse that others may never see. Research shows that most battered women never call the police or go to a shelter. However, they do usually talk about the abuse with someone they trust. Because salon professionals are skilled and experienced listeners who are personally interested in those around them, many victims suffering from abuse feel comfortable confiding in them – even if they would never tell anyone else. For an abused woman, the salon may be an ideal environment to seek out help because it may be one of the few places she is allowed to go without her abuser.
Another speaker at Monday’s presentation was Linda Chandler of Phoebe’s House, a program run by Twin City Mission for all victims of domestic violence. From the D-A’s news release, Chandler stated “We want everyone who lives in our area to know we are here to help anyone who is in a domestic violence situation”. “We provide shelter, counseling, case management, legal advocacy, safety planning and career assistance. All services are provided at no cost.” Phoebe’s Home is a 24-hour emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence. Services are provided at no cost in all seven counties of the Brazos Valley Region: Brazos, Burleson, Grimes, Leon, Madison, Robertson and Washington. If you need help, please call the local hotline at 979-775-5355 or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE.
Other speakers included a west Texas woman, Miranda Russ Henderson, who was 13 when her father was killed in the line of duty trying to protect a victim of domestic violence, and Gloria Terry, the CEO of the Texas Council on Family Violence.
Click below to listen to Monday’s program.
120814 CUT IT OUT news conference
