BATTERED WOMEN ARE MORE AND SUBSTANCES ABUSE

Battered women are more likely to abuse substances due to altered self image



Table of Contents

Introduction3

Perspectives on Substance Abuse and Woman Abuse3

Literature Review4

Substance Abuse and Battered Women10

Methods11

Participants? procedures? and data sources11

Results13

Participants13

Bivariate associations16

Multivariate analyses18

Conclusion and Recommendations20

References24

Battered women are more likely to abuse substances due to altered self image

Introduction

Substance abuse and woman abuse are closely associated in the public's mind? so much so that many people believe the use of substances is a direct cause of woman abuse. Others view substance use as a risk factor which? while not a direct cause? may increase the frequency or severity of woman abuse. Still others believe substance abuse and woman abuse are separate issues? and any apparent relationship between them is illusory. Substance abuse? as used in this paper? refers both to the abuse of alcohol or other drugs? and to dependency on alcohol or other drugs. While partner violence includes same-sex violence? this discussion of partner violence will be limited to abuse of women by their male partners or ex-partners? so the term woman abuse will be used throughout this paper.

Perspectives on Substance Abuse and Woman Abuse

The relationship between substance abuse and woman abuse is by no means simple? but simple concepts are often used to explain it. The simplest concept? and the most commonly accepted? is that the chemical properties of a substance act on an element of the brain responsible for inhibiting violence. Since no such inhibition center has ever been located in the brain? the disinhibition model has been challenged by many experts. If disinhibition explained the relationship between substance abuse and woman abuse? we would expect batterers who were substance abusers to be non-violent when their substance use was terminated. Experience suggests this is not the case; abstinent and recovering substance abusers are well-represented in domestic violence courts and batterers programs.

Literature Review

In the literature on domestic violence? it is indicated that substance abuse has been present around the domestic violence episode.We know that substance abuse does not cause violence? although it is closely associated with the incident. Much of what has been written focuses on the batterer and substance abuse. Little information is available about battered women. Of the literatures that exist? there is some discussion about how battered women may medicate themselves due to the violence they experience. Other literature describes that neither domestic violence nor substance abuse programs are prepared to address the needs of women who experience the co-occurrence of violence and substance abuse. This article will describe how two different service programs were developed to address the needs of battered women who use. The article will describe a philosophy for this work? how assessments are conducted? how women were identified for the program? and how services were designed.

In the field of domestic violence? it is clear that substance abuse has been an issue of continued concern.We are aware that frequently men who batter use drugs or alcohol? often prior to their ...