Hairdressing students given training to spot domestic abuse

Hair and beauty students are being given training to spot signs of domestic abuse.

Gloucestershire College students will be shown how to offer help and support to victims of abuse as part of the Cut it Out campaign.

Forest of Dean District Council is working with Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS) to provide the training.

Councillor Jackie Dale said the initiative had the power to save lives.

She added: "People who are studying hair and beauty courses at Gloucestershire College will be equipped with training that can help them spot the signs of domestic abuse and ensure they know how to help clients in that situation."

"Working with partners, this training will help to cut out domestic abuse and change lives for the better," she added.

The training will later be extended to people working in the hair and beauty industry in the community.

The Cut it Out Campaign was first launched in Norfolk following the death of mother-of-two Kerri McAuley, who was killed in January 2017 by her abusive ex-partner.

She had told her hairdresser she was being abused and thought her ex-partner was going to kill her, but the severity of her comment was not realised.

The campaign recognises hairdressers, barbers and beauty therapists are frequently people who their clients trust and confide in.

Chair of Forest of Dean District Council and chair of the Forest of Dean Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Group, councillor Di Martin, said: "It will give those students valuable skills in supporting someone in crisis and will potentially save lives."

Follow BBC West on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]