Hair and beauty professionals to get domestic abuse training as part of Women’s Aid partnership

Hair, beauty and spa professionals across Ireland will be offered domestic abuse support information sessions and resources, as part of a partnership between Women’s Aid and Image Skillnet, the Irish Hairdressers Federation and the Irish Spa and Beauty Association. 

According to Women’s Aid, with EU research finding that one in three women in Ireland is subjected to domestic abuse, including coercive control, hair, beauty and spa businesses in local communities across Ireland can play a crucial role in raising awareness among those who need support.

The national domestic violence frontline organisation and Image Skillnet recently hosted a series of webinars to empower hair stylists and therapists to recognise the signs of abuse, respond in a supportive way and know how to signpost customers to Women’s Aid services.

These webinars, along with downloadable resources and QR codes, are available to all hair, beauty and spa professionals across Ireland through the Image Skillnet website. All materials include a QR code that leads women directly to Women’s Aid services, and salons and spas across Ireland will also be able to order awareness-raising materials from Women’s Aid.

“This is a really important partnership for Women’s Aid,” said Women’s Aid CEO Sarah Benson. “It helps us empower more people to help women who are experiencing domestic abuse, and to direct them to our support services. We want every woman in such a position to know that we are here if they need us. 

“Everyday professionals in the hair, beauty and spa industry offer more than just services; they offer a safe space. Through the webinars, professionals can learn how to spot signs in client behaviour, understand the dynamics of abuse, and discover how to respond with empathy and care. People are often afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing, and we want to educate as many people as possible on how they can help.”

Image Skillnet membership manager Croline Newton added: “Beauty and spa therapists often build long-term, trusting relationships with their clients. And we know that this could be the only safe space a woman has, or the only place she feels able to open up due to isolation or not wanting to worry family or friends. This partnership between Women’s Aid and Image Skillnet, along with the Irish Hairdressers Federation and the Irish Spa and Beauty Association, gives us a great opportunity to make a real difference and to support our members and give staff confidence and resources to know how to respond if someone does confide in them, or they want to reach out. With a largely female workforce, we also want to ensure our members feel supported at work and can access the necessary supports if they need to.”

As part of the initiative, Women’s Aid and Image Skillnet are also highlighting the new domestic violence leave, which became law in 2023. Support materials and services for employers developing workplace domestic violence and abuse policies are available at DVatWork.ie.