Salon's have been a center of social activity for as long as they've been around. Hot spots for discussing issues, they often reveal the most intimate secrets held by any community. In a recent New York Times article, the author explores how stylists are being trained to recognize signs of domestic abuse. Here's a clip from the article:

Martha Castillo knew her client had a problem because their weekly hair-straightening sessions were always interrupted by phone calls from a boyfriend angrily accusing her of being with another man. Magda Florentino noticed cigarette burns on a woman’s temples when she pulled back her hair for washing — and did not buy the explanation that they had happened accidentally while she was bartending.

For an excellent read, and for information on how your salon could get involved, click here.