Local Business, Sudbury Police and District Attorney Seek to 'Cut Out' Domestic Violence

Salon professionals at Elizabeth Grady in Sudbury recently received training from Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Police Chief Scott Nix, and members of the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable in order to learn the signs of domestic violence and how to help victims of abuse.

On Tuesday, the session took place as a part of a public-private partnership called Cut It Out that is aimed to bring the national domestic violence prevention effort to a local level in eight Elizabeth Grady salons around Middlesex County, according to the District Attorney.

During the session, participants are taught how to identify signs of domestic violence, along with tips on how to refer clients to local domestic violence advocates in a safe manner

“We are so pleased to have partnered with Elizabeth Grady in bringing this important program to its Sudbury salon,” District Attorney Ryan said. “Salon professionals are in a unique position to assist domestic violence victims who are their clients because of the intimate, and often long-term, relationship many of them develop. Educated with information about what signs might indicate abuse and what local assistance is available to clients in need, estheticians, makeup artists and massage therapists, like hair stylists, may provide a crucial bridge linking victims with resources and trained advocates who can help.”

The partnership between the District Attorney's office and Elizabeth Grady was started in January, providing training to more than 100 students and staff at the Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy in Medford.

According to the District Attorney's office, statistics show that one in three women will be victims of domestic assault at some point in their lifetime. Elizabeth Grady was an ideal partner to spread the word of domestic violence prevention, since the group deals with more than 300,000 clients each year.

Sudbury Police Chief Scott Nix said the Tuesday event was important to help residents know that domestic violence can happen in Sudbury, and stopping it is key.

“I appreciate the efforts of District Attorney Ryan in developing innovative partnerships like this to prevent domestic violence,” said Nix. “All too often victims of domestic violence, to include Sudbury residents, feel there is nowhere to turn and/or fail to reach out for help; therefore the abuse continues. Domestic violence comes in various forms to which Sudbury is not immune.”