Ever heard of a salon being more than just a hub of beauty services? If not, then this story will surprise you. Tennessee, US, just passed a law requiring beauty professionals to undergo anti-domestic violence training to better equip them with the tools needed to spot signs of abuse. Effective January 1, 2022, beauty professionals in this state of the United States will be officially on the lookout for signs that their clients may be victims of domestic abuse. As per the new law, the legislation will see roughly 50,000 licensed salon workers in the state get up to an hour of training from a non-profit anti-domestic violence organisation, that is recognised by the Tennessee Coalition to end domestic violence and sexual assault.
A great initiative by the state, since salons often witness visits by women for beauty services and can now be used as a mode to seek help. Moreover, many community experts also share that salon is usually a place where clients tend to open about their personal life and day to day activities. And this new law will help recognise and extend a helping hand towards the victims.
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State Rep. Sam Whitson and Sen. Becky Massey worked with the YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee to create the law and shared, “The COVID-19 pandemic showed that not everyone is safer at home. I’m proud to have sponsored this legislation and equally proud of the vast majority of my colleagues for recognising the crisis of domestic violence and acting to make positive change in our laws.” The free training is currently being provided through online and offline resources and entails a 20-minute video presentation on the dynamics of intimate partner abuse, followed by a short quiz and certificate on completion.
Taking steps towards women safety, the new laws often take interesting routes to help the victims. A similar step was last spotted in India as well, when the Delhi State Legal Services Authority, announced Mother Dairy outlets in the capital, as silent reporters of domestic abuse. A decision taken by the authority to curb the rising cases of domestic abuse amid the Covid-19 lockdown, the common spot became a mode to spread awareness about important helpline numbers and also to allow a victim of domestic violence to pass on the information discreetly. With an increase in the stats that present a clear picture of the current situation, over 2,300 domestic violence complaints were filed with the National Commission for Women between January and May in 2021. However, according to NFHS-5 data, 70% of women in the major states who faced physical violence did not inform anyone about it. We hope to see our lawmakers ponder the matter and churn out ways to help the sufferers.