SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

San Juan County Health & Community Services sponsored its first
Substance Abuse Prevention and Chemical Dependency Treatment Forum on
March 18 at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. I was among the
presenters at the forum.

There were two breakout sessions in the afternoon, one presented by Thom
Kelty, CDP of San Juan Recovery, on "Co-occurring Disorders: Mental Health
and Chemical Dependency." I presented the other session on "The Deceptive
Connection Between Domestic Violence and Alcohol." What do we do about
co-occurring problems for clients who live with domestic violence and
substance abuse?

Significant efforts have been made to increase the public's
understanding of domestic violence and to educate professionals and
service providers about this problem. Research shows that substance
abuse and spousal abuse are closely associated in a community, and
many experts believe the use of substances is a direct link to
violence against women. The significant correlation between alcohol
and substance abuse among men who batter must be viewed in the context
of the overlap between these two widespread social problems.

(While partner violence includes same-sex violence, the following
discussion will focus on abuse of women by their male partners or
ex-partners, and substance abuse will be used interchangeably for
alcohol or drug abuse.)

Although domestic violence occurs in the absence of substance abuse,
there is mounting evidence of a statistical association between the
two problems, despite the fact that policy makers and experts in the
field of domestic violence view it as a "false connection" (research
on this view is readily available on the Internet). Various studies
have established that alcohol is present in 50 percent of all domestic
violence incidents.

It has also been established that women who abuse alcohol and other
drugs are more likely to be domestic violence victims and that these
victims are more likely to receive prescriptions for and become
dependent on tranquilizers, sedatives, stimulants, and other
painkillers.

Forty percent of heavy or binge male drinkers are batterers and 50
percent of males accused of murdering their spouses had been drinking
alcohol prior to the incident. Not surprisingly, the court records of
89 percent of incarcerated batterers showed a history of alcoholism or
drug addiction.

Lastly, childhood physical abuse is strongly associated with later
substance abuse by youth.

Domestic violence and substance abuse have several similar
characteristics. For instance, both are passed from generation to
generation. Denial is typical and blaming the other partner for the
abuser's behavior is common. Usually help is not sought until a crisis
occurs and secrecy and isolation are dominant.

Finally, partners blame themselves for their partner's abuse. Battered
and addicted victims also have much in common in the way they feel
emotionally. Their shame, guilt and hopelessness keep them paralyzed.
A client involved in both programs can become subject to an atmosphere
that keeps her psychologically confused, physically harmed and
destined for relapse.

One woman survivor reported, "As an alcoholic, A.A. and treatment
saved my life, but as a battered woman it nearly killed me." I heard
similar comments like this when I worked in a battered women's shelter
in California. Usually after an in-house A.A. and Al-Anon meeting,
residents would relate how confused they felt. Most would report they
did not feel understood and that they were not sick or have a disease;
realistically, they were just trying to cope with and survive the
abuse. Some residents stated they felt guilty and were convinced they
did not have any choices and they might as well go back to the
relationship because they were not being "good" wives.

Make note that most battered women who come to shelters are trying to
find safety, protect their children and look for options for a
possible change in violent living conditions.

So what makes each program different? Domestic violence and chemical
dependency treatment centers use different terminology, have different
priorities and work from different philosophies. A good example of
this is the way domestic violence programs talk about being
"empowered," whereas substance abuse programs talk about
"powerlessness." Labels like "co-dependency," "enabling" and "denial"
are used in 12-Step and treatment programs. In contrast, domestic
violence programs focus on "power and control" tactics. Different
goals and philosophies drive each program, one seeking to ensure a
client's safety, whereas the other promotes abstinence.

If these contrasts seem confusing to us, imagine what the woman on the
receiving end of all these conflicting messages feels. At the same
time, batterers are subjected to similarly confusing messages, based
primarily on "disinhibition theory," which is rooted in the cultural
view that alcohol causes violence due to the physiological effects of
lowered inhibitions creating a situation where a person cannot control
his or her behavior.

A new approach is needed if domestic violence and treatment programs
are to bridge the treatment gap. We must work together toward a better
understanding of each other's differences and collaborate effectively
on the client's behalf. Together we can create a climate within our
community, which sends the message we will not tolerate domestic
violence as well as substance abuse. We can stop relying on
disinhibition theory, which encourages simplistic moral judgments,
allows the perpetrator to continue his power tactics in the home, and
blames his violence solely on his substance abuse.

The fact remains that non-using substance abusers and drinkers also
attack their partners, and for some individuals using substances
actually inhibits violent behavior. Batterers batter because they can
and because, if they are allowed to get away with it by blaming the
behavior on substances, it works. Bridging the needs of battered women
who are addicted requires an open and integral working relationship
between the chemical dependency treatment and domestic violence
communities.

It is our mutual responsibility to guarantee that our respective
responses promote victim safety, offender accountability, and recovery
from addictions. We should work together to create an environment in
which, first of all, the victim is safe and eventually both the
batterer and the victim are working toward being both safe and sober.

- -- Anita Castle is director of Domestic Violence Sexual Assault
Services in San Juan County.