The Cosmetology Association of New Brunswick, who liscences cosmetoligists in the province, hopes to expand its employee training in identifying family violence to Fredericton schools.
The association’s executive director Gaye Cail, said they began their relationship with the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre, a research centre on family violence on UNB’s campus, in 2010.
“By 2011, the MMFC developed the training program and the first one was established in Fredericton,” she said. “We have since provided training in Saint John, Miramichi and back to Saint John [last Monday]. We proudly state that we were the first province to initiate this program.”
Recent reports from Statistics Canada have shown New Brunswick has some of the highest rates of family violence in the country.
These reports showed there were 1,426 victims of police-reported family violence in 2013, which was a rate of 190.1 victims per 100,000 people. The Canadian average was 195.6 victims per 100,000.
Majestany Institute and Atlantic Hairstyling Academy, the two cosmetology schools in Fredericton, could not be reached for comment.
However, Hannah Berry, a 2015 graduate of Atlantic Hairstyling Academy, said she believes the schools should offer training to identify family violence in clients.
“You know, most people are young when going through this program,” said Berry. “And, as young as we are, we tend to observe more and pick up on cues better than others, I would say.”
Berry, who works at SmartStyle in Fredericton, said the training would benefit someone in her profession because those abused are more likely to confide in their cosmetologist rather than the police.
“When you go to a salon, you put your trust in that person,” she said. “As you get to know them, you talk about more than just the weather. By the end of three visits, we are practically [their] therapist – [they] tell us everything and we lend our ears and try to come up with solutions for them… If we had this training, [we] could potentially help someone in that situation.”
Cail said members who attended the Fredericton seminar were school owners and instructors and that the CANB would love to see it as part of the student’s training.
“It would be extremely beneficial for our members to receive the specialized training,” she said. “The training provides cosmetologists with the knowledge and tools to respond in a safe, effective and compassionate way to situations of intimate partner violence.”
Cail added the program has been tailored specifically for cosmetologists and it is the association’s intention to continue to provide the training to both certified members and to students.
As of yet, there has been no confirmation of dates for training in Fredericton.
