Amidst increased need for family violence support during COVID-19, a new website gives salon professionals across Australia access to critical training to support clients experiencing abuse
HaiR-3Rs (Recognise, Respond, Refer), a family violence training program for salons, is thrilled to announce the launch of its new website, www.hair3rs.org.au. The organisation behind HaiR-3Rs, Eastern Domestic Violence Service (EDVOS), has been running family violence training in Victoria for the past three years, but the new website sees training opened up to salon professionals across Australia.
Created in 2018, the HaiR-3Rs program gives salon professionals the skills to safely guide people experiencing family violence to professional help and support. The training calls on the unique bond between salon workers and their clients, with many opening up to their hairdresser or beauty therapist first about experiences of violence. Delivered live, the online three-hour training teaches salon professionals how to recognise signs of family violence, respond to disclosures of violence, and refer on
With an increased demand for family violence support during COVID-19, this kind of early intervention can be lifesaving. “Lockdowns and COVID-19 restrictions have made it increasingly difficult for victim survivors of violence to seek help,” said EDVOS Chief Executive Officer Christine Mathieson. “With HaiR-3Rs, we are helping make salons safe spaces where women experiencing violence can receive an empathetic response, and be passed information about support services. Rather than turning salon workers into counsellors, we are inviting them to play a role in the early intervention and prevention of violence.”
The new website allows anyone in Australia working in hair, beauty and personal care services to book into a HaiR-3Rs training session. The website also features resources to support salons post-training, information on specialist services, and a directory where victim survivors can find their local HaiR-3Rs trained salon.
HaiR-3Rs has the support of key peak bodies including the Australian Hairdressing Council, ARA Hair and Beauty and Hair Stylists Australia, as well as the salon professionals it serves. Adrian Panayiotis, owner of Delilah Hair Studio, says he became an ambassador for the HaiR-3Rs program after it “completely changed my life.”
Says Panayiotis, “Training was an eye-opener for me. It changed the way I think about family violence, and how I approach clients needing help. HaiR-3Rs is at the forefront of the movement for better, safer lives for women in Australia, and I encourage every salon professional to become part of that future.”
For further information, visit http://www.hair3rs.org.au or contact training@edvos.org.au.
