Hairdressers at Heart, alongside Wella Education and Industry Advocate, Haley Garber, lead industry-wide effort to address human trafficking in salons.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month and the ongoing global crisis, Hairdressers at Heart announced an $8,000 donation to the leading issue non-profit, the Polaris Project, on behalf of stylist and advocate Haley Garber. This follows a three-month-long campaign by the organization to create awareness and education on human trafficking in the salon professional industry.
The dangers of human trafficking reach across the globe, finding salons as the #1 venue for trafficking victims to pass through. With considerable need for education on how salon professionals can recognize and support victims, Wella Education, Hairdressers At Heart and Haley Garber have teamed up to inform salon professionals on how to recognize and combat human trafficking in the salon space.
During this national campaign, #HairdressersAgainstHumanTrafficking sparked conversations on the critical role the salon professional can play in creating change and saving lives –– all starting with vigilance behind the chair.
“Having an informed community can completely turn around victims’ lives,” says stylist and advocate for human trafficking awareness, Haley Garber. “As stylists, we have the power to shut down this industry. All it takes is seeing the signs and taking action.”
It isn’t just the high volume of victims moving through salons that make hairdressers so critical in shutting down human trafficking. Hairdressers have a unique opportunity to connect with clients regularly during appointments on a personal level, consistently positioning themselves as powerful advocates that can help victims escape.
“Global crisis occurring, and salon professionals are uniquely positioned to be a critical piece of the solution,” says Hairdressers At Heart Spokesperson Jessica Guastella. “We are incredibly proud to be Stylist & Advocate – Haley Garber part of an industry-wide effort to address this issue. To understand how prevalent this crisis is in the beauty industry, and through teaching hairdressers how to spot the warning signs of human trafficking, it enables us to #MakeChange.”
QUICK FACTS:
● Salons & Spas Were The #1 Venue For Human Trafficking Last Year.
● Human Trafficking Is A $150 Billion Industry – Making A Larger Annual Profit Than Nike, Google & Starbucks Combined.
● Cases Of Human Trafficking Increased By 25% Last Year.
● Over 80% Of Human Trafficking Victims Call Or Text The Human Trafficking Hotline.
Salon professionals can join the fight by building awareness amongst fellow hairdressers, following Wella Education on Instagram and Facebook for education on the subject, and making a donation to the Polaris Project – a leading non-profit combatting human trafficking.
To join the movement, be sure to mention & tag the following hashtags & accounts:
#HairdressersAgainstHumanTrafficking #EndTrafficking #HairdressersAtHeart @wellaeducation @beautybyhaleygarber
