Training & Awareness

This 1.5-hour training equips salon professionals with the skills to recognize signs of abuse and safely connect clients or co-workers with help, making them vital allies in the fight against domestic violence.

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 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, many survivors feel comfortable confiding in them – even if they would never tell anyone else. For a survivor in an abusive relationship, the salon may be an ideal environment to seek out help because it may be one of the few places they are allowed to go without their abuser. With proper training on how to recognize the signs of abuse and safely refer survivors to help, salon professionals can become invaluable and influential community partners in the fight against domestic abuse.

A revolutionary community education tool created by the Washington Coalition Against Domestic Violence in collaboration with many survivors, In Her Shoes is designed for learning about domestic violence in an interactive and impactful way. Participants are assigned a character. They walk through the survivor's story and are able to make decisions in different scenarios the survivor is experiencing. This activity helps participants gain understanding of the intricacies of domestic violence and the barriers to leaving.

This training is offered by Safe Haven upon request. Experienced Safe Haven Advocates can bring this training to your group, congregation, or business and lead a valuable reflection and discussion around the barriers survivors are facing in our community.

Designed with the classroom in mind, this training is an engaging way to talk about dating violence and healthy relationships with young people in one class period. Participants become one of six characters and walk through their characters story to learn about their experiences in unhealthy situations. Our advocates can lead this interactive training and a discussion about safe relationships with middle school or high school classrooms. For younger students we offer an adapted age- appropriate presentation to discuss healthy relationships and boundaries.