Current Illinois legislation requires all salon professionals to complete awareness training in issues of domestic violence and sexual assault, as part of continuing education for license renewal.

Every hour, on the hour, attendees at America’s Beauty Show in Chicago this weekend were able to attend a seminar that fulfilled their domestic violence training requirement. MODERN SALON sat in on one of the classes presented by Chicago Says No More to learn more.

The class was a mixture of lecture, stories and hairdressers collaborating together, sharing their own experiences if they’d ever come in contact with a situation of domestic abuse.

Domestic abuse, according to Chicago Says No More, is a pattern of coercive, controlling behavior that can include physical, emotional or psychological, sexual or financial abuse. It’s a pervasive, life-threatening crime that affects millions of individuals across the U.S. regardless of age, economic status, race, religion or education.

Has a client ever confided in you about being abused? What did you do? What do you wish you knew?

According to Chicago Says No More, when clients sit in your chair, people tend to share their most private things with you. Most of all, practice listening skills. Notice what clients say/don’t say. Respect their situation, demonstrate compassion, reassure that help is available, keep things confidential and offer to put them in contact with resources that can help them.

Connect your clients with a helpline to learn more, contact the rape crisis and domestic violence agencies or have them speak with trained counselors.

Do NOT : Say “What did you do to make them so mad?” Interrupt. Give advice about what they should do, share a personal story, or try to fix the situation.

The class inspired attendees to being champions of change. Are you ready to take the fight against domestic abuse pledge? PLEDGE NOW on http://chicagosaysnomore.org/.