Recently, my husband came to me with the Valley & State section of the Arizona Republic talking about a DV training program called Empire Gives Back. This is a partnership effort between Empire Education Group and Cut It Out (national DV prevention program) in which students at the Empire Beauty Schools will learn about DV, awareness efforts, and victim support among other things--all supported by Attorney General, Terry Goddard and Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence. That's terrific news! The only part I thought was funny is the "no brainer" comments made by Goddard.
According to Goddard, this partnership is a no brainer because beauticians are most likely to see DV victims and to hear about abuse as they do beauty services on women. Right? Well, many of you are probably thinking yes, of course it's a perfect match.
I might agree, but being someone who colors her own hair (too cheap to pay for salons), does her own nails (clips 'em off due to lazinezz and artistry), and gets a hair cut from her all time favorite gal at Great Clips...that counts me out. As for other women, well yes if they can AFFORD the services and can actually get out of the house. Additionally, this partnership presupposes again that this is a woman's issue.
Let's look at it another way. How about a program called Medicine Has Your Back, in which partnership efforts take place between medical schools, hospitals, and Cut It Out so that quality training is required in the medical community. Okay, so the title needs a little work, but the idea of focusing in this industry has WAY more impact on domestic abuse. Why do I say this? Because doctors are more likely to see a person in crisis than a beautician, not that I am knocking Empire. It's absolutely wonderful; however, hospitals see children, women and men in crisis and are in a great position to help. I return to my mantra that domestic abuse is a human and animal rights issue, not just a female one. Additionally, if the medical industry as a whole would recognize this serious pandemic for what it is and have campaign programs in place that help victims, it might even help their bottom line. Now that to me is a no brainer.
Terry Goddard and Cut It Out
Empire Gives Back
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2 comments:
From what I know about the privately-owned hospitals/clinics, but my guess is that they are so focused on bottom-line that they pass on training their nurses, dr, staff regarding DV issues. However, the Maricopa Integrated Health Care and Dena Salter, do a wonderful job training their staff to watch out for possible abuse. They also have shoe cards, flyers, advocates and because they are a county-operated facility, they see a greater number of victims. So, I boo the privately owned medical facilities, but give kudos to MIHS.
You are right on Vickie! Everyone who touches or comes in contact with a woman should be educated--not once-- but consistently on how to Recognize, Respond and Refer.
The Purple Ribbon Council through our Girls Night Out to Cut Out Domestic Abuse awareness events has a solid partnership with the National Cosmetology Association and the Cut It Out program. We have learned a lot by working with the salon industry--which is a first step in the right direction of advocacy and intervention.
We are also working with another national DV prevention organization on a grassroots program targeted to health care providers, fitness instructors and bartenders---YES bartenders.
Stay tuned for more details!
Keep up the wonderful awareness work you do! We need to talk about and respond to domestic abuse from all angles....one organization, one person and one mission statement can not eradicate the world of domestic homicides and the social disease of power and control alone!
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