An epidemic, by definition, exists when something detrimental to the community becomes so widespread that it impacts nearly everyone within it. So, as Domestic Violence Awareness Month kicks off, let’s make no mistake about it: domestic violence is an epidemic. 

The statistics are shocking. 

• According to the National Domestic Violence Abuse Hotline, in the U.S. alone, 24 people per minute become victims of rape, physical violence, or stalking by an intimate partner.

• More than 12 million women and men are victimized by domestic violence every year.

• Over one-third of women and one-quarter of men in the U.S. have experienced rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime, while almost half of both women and men in the US have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime.

The list, unfortunately, goes on, each statistic as disturbing as the next. It’s precisely because domestic violence impacts everyone that it’s going to take everyone to start fighting back. 

That’s why we’re using our ongoing Causes that Matter series to highlight the incredible work being done by the Professional Beauty Association through its CUT IT OUT®  program. CUT IT OUT® is dedicated to mobilizing the full force of the beauty industry to fight the epidemic of domestic violence in communities across the country.

First and foremost, acknowledging the incalculable toll domestic violence takes on the lives of its victims, CUT IT OUT® provides grants to licensed beauty industry professionals who are survivors of domestic abuse and in need of assistance getting back on their feet. Called Strength in Beauty, the grant program provides professionals with financial assistance or assistance with employment placement within the professional beauty industry. 

Just as important as the direct assistance provided through its grant program, CUT IT OUT® also fights back through training and education. Stylists, barbers, estheticians, and make-up artists are in a unique position to spot signs of abuse in their clients: everything from unexplained bruises to sudden changes in mood and temperament. Self-care businesses are also often safe havens; one of the few places victims of domestic violence can safely speak out and ask for help. 

In other words, the right training and education can save a life. CUT IT OUT® empowers those in a position to help do just that through free online training from a certified domestic violence victim advocate. The training helps professionals recognize the signs and symptoms of domestic abuse, respond to victims discreetly and empathetically, and refer victims to potentially life-saving safety resources. Industry professionals can also become program ambassadors and access a variety of educational resources and awareness materials.

Like any non-profit, CUT IT OUT® is dependent on support from the community it serves. Boulevard is proud to provide a donation in support of CUT IT OUT®. If you have the means to do so, please follow suit. Donate here or consider other ways to get involved, such as their training and ambassador programs. 

And remember: domestic violence is an epidemic. No organization, even one as committed to ending domestic violence as the Professional Beauty Association, can win this fight alone. Everyone needs to play a role.