Substance misuse among women suffering homelessness and prostitution in Spain

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives The article analyses the substance misuse among women suffering homelessness and prostitution in Madrid, Spain. Methods Information was collected from a sample of 135 women experiencing homelessness in Madrid. 81% of the interviewed had never found themselves in prostitution, while 19% had found themselves in this situation at some point in their lives. Results The results obtained show that women experiencing homelessness who had found themselves in prostitution presented with higher rates of excessive drug use, before the age of 18 and throughout their lives, and were more likely to have consumed cocaine, heroin, methadone, cannabis and/or sedatives. With regard to excessive alcohol consumption, no statistically significant differences were observed before the age of 18 among interviewees who had or had not found themselves in prostitution, though throughout their lives, excessive alcohol consumption was significantly higher among the former. Discussion Substance misuse represents a factor of vulnerability both for becoming homeless and for remaining in said situation for long periods of time. Given that substance misuse affects a large percentage of the women experiencing homelessness who have been in prostitution, public policies and intervention programs with a gendered perspective must be implemented and made accessible to these women in situations of extreme vulnerability.