Women make up approximately a quarter of all people with serious drug problems and around one-fifth of all entrants to drug treatment in Europe. They are particularly likely to:
• experience stigma and economic disadvantage, and to have less social support;
• come from families with substance use problems and have a substance-using partner;
• have children who may play a central role in their drug use and recovery; and
• have experienced sexual and physical assault and abuse and have co-occurring mental disorders.

A number of sub-groups of women with drug problems have special needs. These sub- groups, which often overlap, include pregnant and parenting women; women involved in sex work, who may often experience violence and stigma; women from ethnic minorities, who may have been trafficked; and women in prison.