Nails
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Is the Salon Her Cell?

Every year, women are trafficked into the U.S. with the promise of a better life, but instead they find themselves sold as labor or sex slaves. It happens in every industry, including nail salons, massage parlors, and spas.

by Staff
January 4, 2012
Is the Salon Her Cell?

 

2 min to read


Every year, women are trafficked into the U.S. with the promise of a better life, but instead they find themselves sold as labor or sex slaves. It happens in every industry, including nail salons, massage parlors, and spas. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month. As nail techs and salon owners, we have the opportunity to raise awareness in our industry and among our clients so we can help rescue women working in what appears to be a salon, but is actually a prison. This January, help raise awareness about how human trafficking happens in the beauty industry, and do your part to abolish modern-day slavery.

Align yourself with other techs. The “Free My Nail Tech” campaign was started by concerned nail techs and industry professionals to raise awareness about this blight on our industry. We believe the beauty industry should empower women, not enslave them. Learn more at freemynailtech.com. Join the movement atfacebook.com/freemynailtechand twitter.com/freemynailtech.

Ad Loading...

Wear orange to show you support the fight against human trafficking. (For example, choose a day in January when all staff wear orange. Buy a ream of orange yarn and wrap the yarn around your wrist as a bracelet. Keep the yarn in the salon so clients can make bracelets too.)

Add the National Trafficking Hotline — (888) 3737-888 — to your phone and call if you suspect a person is being held against her will.

Recognize the signs. The Polaris Project is the leading anti-trafficking agency in the U.S. They list warning signs at polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs.

Educate clients about human trafficking and modern-day slavery. Go to freemynailtech.com to download a free copy of the image above and display it at your station or reception area. You can also download business-sized cards that list facts about human trafficking and warning signs. Hand them out to clients or refer to them in answer to clients’ questions.

For more information on human trafficking in our industry, go to www.nailsmag.com/trafficking.

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

More Wellness

Ad Loading...
Wellness|Articles|Aug 5, 2025

Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks

As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.

Wellness|Articles|Mar 31, 2025

Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections

Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).

Ad Loading...
Wellness|Articles|Jul 3, 2024

Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity

Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.

Ad Loading...