Staten Island hair stylists training to help combat domestic violence under new program

NEW DORP, Staten Island (WABC) -- Hair stylists on Staten Island are being enlisted by the city to help law enforcement combat domestic violence.

The Richmond County District Attorney's office want to train stylists to be able to spot the signs of domestic violence among their clients, and help them get the help they need but may be too afraid to ask for.

"If the salon professionals are trained, they can detect, they can talk about it, how do you bring it out, and they can even, in a gentle way counsel, why don't you go to the Family Justice Center, why don't you go to the police," said Paul Capofari, Chief Assistant District Attorney.

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

The program is sponsored by District Attorney Michael McMahon and the Mayor's Office.

The first training session called Intimate Partner Violence 101 Training is on Monday, October 23 from 10 a.m. until noon at the NYC Family Justice Center, 126 Stuyvesant Place, Staten Island, NY 10301.

Please RSVP to Carrie Knight at 718-697-4304 or carriek@fjcnyc.org.