About Us

The SalonGirlz project is created to educate our communities about family violence issues and to reach out to victims and non-victims, both child and adult, male or female, across the United States and internationally.

Victoria Gardener

Victoria Gardner is the Project Manager of the SalonGirlz: Shhh… Secrets told in Hair Salons project. She is the past Associate Director and founder of a successful non profit educational organization and is also a Victims Advocate and was trained in a District Attorneys Victims’ Advocacy program. Being a survivor of family violence, having experienced both familial and spousal abuse, Victoria has tremendous insight into abuse. She believes she is meant to help those in abusive environments and is proof that there are millions of people, including professionals from all walks of life both white collar and blue collar; doctors, psychologists, and others who also suffer in silence. Many are unaware they are in an abusive situation until it is too late or if they are aware, they hide their abuse and shame. However, she is testament to the fact a victim can eventually lead a normal productive life.

Paula Lucas

Paula Lucas is the Founder and Executive Director of the American Domestic Violence Crisis Line , ADVCL. Paula traveled and lived overseas for 14 years in Europe, The Middle East and the Far East. From the outside, her life looked ideal, but she hid a terrible secret: domestic violence. She finally escaped from her husband with her three children and returned to the USA, founding the organization and starting the only international toll free domestic violence crisis line in operation in the USA to serve the estimated 6 – 7 million American civilians in foreign countries. (1-866-USWOMEN.)

Since 1999, the organization has helped thousands of American Domestic Violence victims in countries around the world including France, Italy, England, Ireland, Ethiopia, Dominican Republic, Finland, Iran, Chile, Holland, Jordan, Canada, Philippines, Mexico, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Volunteer advocates staff the crisis line and provide domestic violence advocacy, safety planning and case management. The team also provides danger to safety relocation back to the USA, payment of legal retainers so battered mothers can file for custody of their children, and a one year self-sufficiency housing program in the Portland, Oregon metro area.