The important role beauty professionals can play in spotting the signs of intimate partner violence

The beauty industry and the horrors of intimate partner violence (IPV) have, devastatingly, long been interlinked, with complexion correction products serving as one of the few ways to disguise telltale signs of bruising and other obvious injuries. But tubes of concealer are not a solution; merely a strategy to hide the visual evidence of IPV. Solutions lie in options that can help rather than hide; and there’s one you may not yet be aware of.

“Beauty professionals, due to the nature of their work, often build strong and trusting relationships with their clients,” explains Christine Mathieson, CEO at FVREE, a specialist family violence service for women and their children who are currently living with or have experienced family and domestic violence. “This intimacy results in clients sharing personal details about their lives. Through our work, we discovered that hair and beauty professionals frequently hear about incidents of intimate partner violence, yet they receive no formal training to handle this when it comes up in the chair. Our organisation aims to bridge this gap and prevent victim-survivors, salon professionals and others in the beauty industry from being left at risk."

“In Australia, one woman is killed every week by her current or former partner,” Mathieson notes, sharing a truly chilling statistic. “The reality is, very few women facing intimate partner violence reach out to the police or specialised family violence services first. Instead, they're more likely to confide in someone they trust or have a close connection with.”

“FVREE delivers a national program called HaiR-3Rs which aims to equip professionals working in the hair and beauty industry to spot the signs of intimate partner violence and know what to say and do if a client shares their experience of violence,” Mathieson explains. “The training revolves around our 3Rs framework, enabling professionals to Recognise signs of violence, Respond appropriately to disclosures, and Refer clients at risk to specialised family violence services.”

So how can said beauty professionals aid their clients if they spot telltale signs or if said clients choose to confide in them? Mathieson shared some valuable insights…

Signs of intimate partner violence to look out for as a beauty professional

“Be vigilant for various signs, including physical indicators like bruises, and torn hair,” advises Mathieson. “Yet, some cues may be subtle – observe changes in behaviour, reluctance to make eye contact, self-deprecating language, or references to a controlling partner.”

“Instances like requesting separate payments due to fear of partner's anger can also raise concerns”, Mathieson notes. “Clients buying makeup to conceal bruises may signal distress. Remember, not all signs indicate intimate partner violence. But we won't know unless we check in with our clients and ask ‘Is everything okay? I’ve noticed x and I’m worried about you.’”

Said professionals can act as an important cog in the chain toward seeking help. “It's important to note that our goal is not to train Beauty Advisors into counsellors but to equip them with knowledge of referral pathways and encourage those who disclose to seek support from specialist services," Mathieson adds. "Together, we can make a significant impact in combating intimate partner violence.”

One of BEAUTYcrew (and the world)’s most beloved beauty brands is also playing their part in furthering education around identifying signs of IPV. “We are excited to announce our collaboration with YSL Beauty to extend this crucial training to their Beauty Advisors,” Mathieson told us. “By creating more safe spaces for disclosure and increasing the number of individuals trained to respond effectively, we enhance the likelihood of breaking the cycle and putting an end to intimate partner violence.”

As part of its global 'Abuse is Not Love' program, aimed at combatting intimate partner violence by supporting prevention programs in over 25 countries, YSL Beauty is working to fund important academic research into IPV, train employees worldwide, and educate 2 million people to better deal with and support others to respond to the issue of IPV by 2030.

1800 RESPECT is the national domestic, family, and sexual violence counselling, information, and support service. If you or someone you know is experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing, domestic, family, or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Main image credit: Getty Images