Purple Ribbons

 October 12, 2011.  Seal Beach, California.  Salon Meritage. 

September 12, 2012.  Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Cost Cutters Salon.
October 18, 2012.  Casselberry, Florida.  Las Dominicanas M & M Hair Salon.

October 21, 2012.  Brookfield, Wisconsin.  Azana Salon & Spa.

What do all these dates have in common?  All four are the dates of deadly shootings that took place in hair salons.  All four shootings were committed by estranged partners of salon employees.  All four shootings were senseless acts of violence that shattered the lives of families, friends, and communities.

A salon should be a place of community, of acceptance.  A place where we can go to feel at ease.  A place to escape our day to day lives, relax, and take care of ourselves.  

You may be asking, what does this have to do with us?  We're in Canada.  It's safer here.  Although domestic violence is on the decline, the statistics are still alarming.  

On average, a woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner every six days.

On any given day, 3000 Canadian women, along with their 2500 children, are living in an emergency shelter to escape domestic violence.

What should I do if I think someone is being abused?

• If someone is in immediate danger, call 911 or the emergency number in your community.
• Put her safety first. Never talk to anyone about abuse in front of their suspected abuser. Unless she specifically asks for it, never give her materials about domestic abuse or leave information through voice messages or emails that might be discovered by her abuser. However, abuse thrives in secrecy, so speak up if you can do so safely.
• If she wants to talk, listen. If she doesn’t, simply tell her she does not deserve to be harmed and that you are concerned for her safety. Ask her if there is anything you can do to help, but don’t offer to do anything that makes you uncomfortable or feels unsafe.
• If she decides to stay in the relationship, try not to judge her. Remember, leaving an abuser can be extremely dangerous. Sometimes, the most valuable thing you can offer a woman who is being abused is your respect.

Let's all come together to end domestic violence.