Last month Susan Lamb MP met with the board members of Hairdressers with Hearts, Ms Lamb asked board member’s how Hairdressers with Hearts initiative started? Sonia Colvin Founder of Hairdressers with Hearts (HwH) said “It was listening to my clients when they came in to get their hair done. There is so many terrible stories I hear from my clients. I know it was abuse, however I didn’t have any information on Domestic Violence or know how to help them, now I do! And this was from researching the services that are available to victims. I want to encourage every hairdresser to get on board as well”.
Sonia explained to Susan that she now knows where to refer her clients to when she feels that they are being abused. Sonia and Hair 4507 salon are now equipped with information to assist her clients and anyone that will walk into her salon that may need some help.
Susan said “this is a wonderful initiative and Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse affects our whole community in so many ways; health, financially, socially, economically and much more. This is a nationwide society issue” Susan congratulated Sonia and the board on tackling such a huge issue in the way she is doing it.
Susan assured Sonia she would write to her colleagues about Hairdressers with Hearts initiative to encourage other federal members to speak to their local hairdressers to get on board and link up with their local domestic violence groups in all regions in Australia.
Hairdressers with Hearts really need funding to employ a person to assist with their calendar, which is made up of training sessions for Hairdressers, raising funds to support the victims, creating awareness events in our region. Ms Lamb will assist with applying for grants and she has also offered to bring awareness of HwH initiative in the Federal Parliament.
Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse is a far bigger issue nationwide than most of us realise, and Hairdressers with Hearts is well on the way to achieving their goal to get as many hairdressers on board. Sonia has assisted 89 women and men since she started Hairdressers with Hearts over 3 years ago.
Almost every Hairdresser has heard at least one awful story from their clients about abuse in their own homes, their family members home or even if it is just a friend that is going through abuse. It really does make sense for all our Hairdressers to be equipped with information to assist the victims, with well over 60 women this year or at least 2 a week who have died from domestic violence, Sonia is determined to help all victims nationwide and she would like to see Hairdressers get on board with this initiative. She wants every hairdresser to be equipped with information to hand out to their clients.
The issue of Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse is absolutely everywhere in Australia and Hairdressers with Hearts is rapidly catching on in South East of Queensland.
How you can Help
Donations are always welcome, become a volunteer and spread the word about Hairdressers with Hearts, talk to your hairdresser to see if they are interested in joining Hairdressers with Heart. You can contact Michelle on 0418 898 082 for more information.
Fiona from Centre Against Domestic Violence, Sonia Colvin Founder of HwH, Susan Lamb, Member for Longman and Aunty Marg (victim of Elder Abuse and now a volunteer at HwH.