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Alcoholism and battering
do share similar characteristics, including: both may be passed
from generation to generation, both involve denial or minimization of
the problem, both involve isolation of the family.
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A bettering incident that
is coupled with alcohol abuse many be more severe and result in greater
injury.
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Alcoholism treatment does
not "cure" battering behavior; both problems must be addressed
separately. It is dangerous to tell a victim to firmly resist the
addict as is taught in traditional treatment therapy. Provision
for the woman's safety must take precedence and the victim must be
supported toward making her own choices. A victim is the expert
when their personal safety is concerned. They know what must be
done to keep themselves and their children safe.
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A small percent (7 to 14
percent) of battered women have alcohol abuse problems, which is no more
than that found in the general female population. A woman's
substance abuse problems do not relate to the cause of her abuse,
although some women may turn to alcohol and drugs in response to the
abuse. To become independent and live free from violence, women
should receive assistance for substance abuse problems in addition to
other supportive services.
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Men living with women who
have alcohol abuse problems often try to justify their violence as a way
to control them when they're drunk. A woman's failure to remain
substance free is never an excuse for the abuser's violence.
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While drug and alcohol
abuse do not cause people to be violent, the abuse of these substances
may substantially increase the risk of injury to victims. The
potential for lethality is increased both during intoxication and
withdrawal. Therefore, safety plans for battered women must take
into account the batterer's addiction.
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Substance abusers do not
always appear intoxicated, due to tolerance built up over time.
Moreover, the phenomenon of denial makes it unlikely that the alcoholic
in treatment will volunteer information about violence in the home at
first, and that a batterer in counseling or a victim in an examining
room in a hospital or a shelter will volunteer information about an
alcohol or drug problem.
