NO MORE Week: How nail & beauty pros can help clients suffering domestic abuse

NO MORE Week, delivered by Hestia, is an annual, international campaign running from 6-12 March to raise awareness against domestic abuse and sexual violence. The campaign provides open-source tools and resources for individuals and organisations to take action and get involved in making a difference, and you can too as a nail technician.

According to Behind The Mask, a staggering one in four women will experience abuse from a partner or ex-partner at some time in their life, and two are killed each week.

Abuse may be psychological, sexual, harassing, coercive, controlling or physical. As a nail technician, you form a unique relationship with clients at the desk and may notice when things seem different or if a client isn’t quite themselves. But how do you know when they’re just having an ‘off day’ or if it is something more serious? And how do you go about approaching a client that you think may be suffering from abuse?

As hair & beauty professionals are renowned for being great listeners, it’s no surprise that many clients feel comfortable talking and even confiding in you about things that they would never tell anyone else. Therefore, if you ever find yourself in a situation where a client confided in you or you noticed something wasn’t right, it is imperative you act appropriately.

Read on to find out more about training offered for hair & beauty professionals in supporting clients suffering from domestic abuse…

Behind The Mask 

Julie Knight

Julie Knight, founder of Elite Eyelash Extensions and Training Academy, launched the Behind The Mask initiative in order to raise awareness of domestic abuse, and to ensure that beauty therapists and nail techs are able to recognise signs in their clients and team members.

“Behind The Mask offers hair and beauty professionals free access to online learning and resources,” Julie reveals. “This may help you to spot the signs that someone is experiencing domestic abuse and guide on how to respond in the best way. It’s not about intervening or interfering, but knowing how you can truly help someone who may really need it.”

Her aim with the Behind the Mask campaign is to raise awareness of domestic abuse across the UK. “Many of our colleagues don’t recognise the signs and most wouldn’t know what to say or do,” Julie says. “We may notice something that could lead to a life being saved, it’s as simple as that.

“Our instincts tell us to say, ‘you must leave!’ but how unhelpful, impractical and seemingly judgemental is that? I wanted others to feel confident to explore their concerns and know how they could help in a meaningful way.”

To find out more about the training and campaign, visit www.behindthemask.online

Shear Haven Domestic Violence Training

Liz McKeon

Salon business expert, Liz McKeon is the ambassador for Shear Haven anti-domestic violence salon training for the UK and Ireland.

 “This training will give industry professionals the confidence to recognise and deal with the vulnerable client,” reveals Liz.

 “The Shear Haven training consists of a 20-minute training session followed by a short quiz.  After completion, you will receive a personalised certificate of achievement.  It can be printed out, or shared via social media.

“This domestic violence education program equips professionals with the knowledge and resources to recognise the signs of domestic violence, successfully navigate conversations with clients who may be in danger, and pass along tools that can help them get to safety.

“It is free of charge to complete, to reach as many people who need it as possible. To date, more than 25,000 beauty professionals from around the world have taken the training.”

Find out more at www.lizmckeon.com