Home > Women who use drugs: Issues, needs, responses, challenges and implications for policy and practice.

Arpa, Sharon (2017) Women who use drugs: Issues, needs, responses, challenges and implications for policy and practice. Lisbon: European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction.

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In the European Union 34.8 million women aged 15 to 64 are reported to have ever tried an illicit drug, compared with 54.3 million men. Women who use drugs face a number of issues that vary in extent and nature compared with those experienced by their male counterparts. They have greater experiences of stigma, shame and discriminatory responses; have less social support; are more influenced in issues relating to drug use and recovery by their parental role and through their partners; and are at a greater risk of exposure to violence and blood-borne infections. In general, responses for women should be gender responsive, incorporating women’s needs in all aspects of their design and delivery; be delivered in environments that are welcoming, non-judgemental, supporting and physically and emotionally safe; be holistic and comprehensive; promote healthy connections to children, family members, significant others and the community; and address socioeconomic conditions. There are also subgroups of women with additional issues and needs that need to be considered.

 

Background paper commissioned by the EMCDDA for Health and social responses to drug problems: a European guide

Item Type
Report
Publication Type
International, Report
Drug Type
Substances (not alcohol/tobacco)
Intervention Type
General / Comprehensive, Harm reduction
Source
Date
October 2017
Pages
22 p.
Publisher
European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
Place of Publication
Lisbon
EndNote
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