“They are survivors”. Violence against women drug users: a qualitative analysis of the professionals’ narratives

Abstract

Background Women who use drugs are particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence (GBV), with serious psychological, social, physical and inter-generational consequences. The professionals who attend to the women who seek help when they have a problem with a psychoactive substance are an essential group for detecting and intervening in cases of GBV against women who use drugs. Methods We have conducted a qualitative investigation. Our sources are eight focus groups with Spanish professionals from all the disciplines involved in the field. The total sample was purposive in nature and comprised 55 professionals from the field of drug dependence. Results Both the invisibility of women who use drugs as victims of GBV and the androcentrism present in drug treatment centers define the institutional violence that appears in the professionals’ narratives. According to professionals, being a victim of GBV can increase the use of psychoactive substances, while the latter in turn makes women more vulnerable to GBV. Conclusions In order for the treatment of drug dependence to be sensitive and successful, it needs to include the different forms of GBV suffered by women who use drugs, alongside the effective coordination of resources and support networks.