I think this is a great grassroots effort.

No other public setting invites intimacy like that of the hair salon, a place where secrets are shared and confidences exchanged. Capitalizing on the sisterhood of stylists and clients, San Jose is recruiting hairdressers in its campaign to reach an often isolated group: battered women.

The Hairdresser’s Project, piloted earlier this year, resumes its outreach effort this month, once again using San Jose State University student interns to knock on the doors of hair and nail salons and even some barbershops. Better than billboards and more personal than a public service announcement, hairdressers also often speak the language of their clients.

—‘Girl talk’ redefined, MercuryNews.com