The owner of She is Sofie James Salon on East Broadway is speaking out after being assaulted inside her South Boston business last week.

In a social media post, owner Sarah Shaughnessy said the incident happened after she asked an individual to leave the salon. She shared her experience to encourage other salon owners and businesses with predominantly female teams to recognize warning signs, strengthen safety protocols, and trust their instincts.

Shaughnessy said having an all-female staff has always been something she’s proud of, but the incident made her realize it can also create unique safety concerns.

“We chose to share this experience not to create fear, but to create awareness,” she wrote, hoping her story encourages conversations about workplace safety and helps protect other women.

She ended her message with a reminder to women everywhere: “Trust your instincts. Set boundaries without apology. Protect yourself. Protect each other.”

You can read Sarah’s full statement and learn more by visiting Sofie James Salon’s Instagram page.