Shannon Williams of the Women’s Crisis Support Team (WCST) has been sending this message loud and clear to Josephine County. Shannon is a survivor herself and has years of experience walking women through the steps they need to take in order to be safe from domestic violence. She has been holding “Cut it out” seminars in Josephine County with the help of AmeriCorps volunteer Katarina Kobor and the owner of Express Cuts, Laurie Putney.

The Cut it Out program is designed to educate salon professionals on how to recognize and respond to signs of abuse and what they can do to possibly help their clients. This relatively new concept was conceived in 2002 by The Women’s Fund of Greater Birmingham and has since branched out across the United States. The reason for focusing on salon professionals is because they work closely with men and women. Quite often, this builds a trusting relationship. Hairdressers, nails technicians, estheticians, and beauty education members are more likely than most others to notice such things as bruises, cuts, and tender spots on those they come in contact with during the work day. While bruises and such are obvious signs, Cut it Out shows professionals how to recognize less blatant signals such as skipping regular treatments, receiving repeated cell phone calls from a spouse during a session, or the constant presence of a partner during appointments.

While the signs and signals are relatively easy to pick up on, most salon professionals do not know how to react to possible victims. However, the intimacy of a relationship between a client and a salon worker helps open the door to questions or comments. During seminars, Shannon suggests a simple approach, such as asking if everything is okay, inquiring as to how a bruise or sore spot came about, or letting the person know you are concerned for them. Shannon emphasizes the fact that salon professionals are not expected to counsel their clients and that it is best to simply provide their customers with information and, if it is appropriate, a telephone number for the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-SAFE) along with contact information for the Women’s Crisis Support Team in Josephine County, who responds to requests for help from both women and men.

Salon professionals are encouraged to keep their discussions discreet and use good judgment when handing out information, as a partner who is already abusive may discover that help is being considered. This could lead to more problems for the person they are already causing harm to. Members of domestic violence teams who work in safe houses and crisis centers have come up with innovative ways of passing information along in methods that keep the information from being discovered in such situations, and the women of WCST share that information with the professionals of Josephine County during the Cut it Out Seminars.

At the end of these informative seminars, Shannon asks participants for input. Many make the comment that the information given during the seminar is very helpful and will be put to good use in the future. A number realize they have previously overlooks signs and signals of abuse, or didn’t respond to them because they were uncertain of what could or should be said to possible victims and didn’t feel as if they could speak up without it being an invasion of privacy. At the end of seminars, Shannon passes out packets of cards, flyers, and other tools for salon workers to give out at their own discretion.

To find out more about the Cut it Out program in Josephine County, please use the following information:

Women’s Crisis Support Team
560 NE “F” St, Suite A #430,
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Telephone:  541-479-9349 

Salons Against Domestic Abuse
401 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60611
Website: http://www.cutitout.org