Donegal hairdressers praises 'positive response' to domestic violence scheme

A Donegal salon owner spoke of the “great and positive response” received after being featured on RTE News on about a domestic violence training event.

Terance Boyle of Terance Boyle Hairdressing in Letterkenny, was one of over 50 people who attended the ‘Empowering Salon Professionals’ training event at the Silver Tassie Hotel, Letterkenny.

Empowering Salon Professionals is a joint initiative between HSE Ireland Social Inclusion, An Garda Síochána, Donegal Domestic Violence Services and the North West Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force.

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The training event was for salon professionals, who An Garda Síochána Donegal said were “uniquely positioned to support individuals experiencing domestic violence, coercive control, and addiction.

“By fostering awareness and equipping salon professionals with the right information, this initiative aims to create safer spaces within the community, where individuals facing these challenges can find help and hope.”

It is estimated that one in four women, and one in seven men are victims of domestic abuse.

Donna McGee, the Addiction Services Lead within Donegal, told Donegal Live: “We were absolutely delighted on Monday to have over 50 professionals. We thought it showed great commitment to their clients that over 50 turned up to the event. It showed great leadership from salons to bring their teams.

“It was a theme that clients (of salons) were coming to domestic services or addiction services and they were saying that their hairdresser was telling them to come. There seemed to be a long and enduring bond and trusting relationship between salon professionals and their clients. 

“They had such trust with their clients that the salon is like a confessional box. 

“We thought that we should equip beauticians and barbers with the skills needed so that if the customers are engaging with them, we can try to support them.”

Terance Boyle, whose wife Colleen, was interviewed by RTE for their news feature, commented: “We have had a great and positive response. Everybody is coming on board. It is a great initiative. It is the HSE and other bodies that are rolling it out. 

“It is great for the beauty industry that they have flagshipped it to start this initiative. For us, it has been phenomenal.”

He continued: “I think it has really given people a bit of encouragement that there is people to talk to. A lot of people are looking at Donegal for doing this.

“They were good enough to ask me and my shop to be the flagship for the initiative and to be on TV, but there are a lot of hairdressers doing this.”