“An exercise in careful diplomacy”: talking about alcohol, drugs and family violence

Abstract

The role of alcohol and drugs (AOD) in domestic and family violence is increasingly difficult to ignore, yet challenging to reconcile with dominant feminist analyses of the problem. The landmark 2015-16 Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence recommended service integration between the AOD and domestic and family violence (DFV) sectors, but this may be difficult to achieve due to differences in history, language use and treatment philosophy between the two sectors. A central point of contention about the role of AOD in DFV can be represented by the question: "are alcohol and other drugs a cause of DFV?" Unpacking this question is essential to understanding contested problem framing in this area, and requires attention to differences in language use and research traditions; varying acceptance of gender inequity as a central causal factor; cultural attitudes about alcohol and disinhibition; and notions of accountability across the different sectors. I argue that substance abuse affects DFV in gendered ways, and that more attention should be paid to how AOD and gender intersect to affect the perpetration and experience of DFV. This article will be useful to practitioners seeking to understand the sensitivities surrounding discussion of AOD in relation to DFV, and will assist them in navigating these sensitivities to improve service coordination and thus deliver better outcomes for those affected by DFV.

Does drinking modify the relationship between men's gender‐inequitable attitudes and their perpetration of intimate partner violence? A meta‐analysis of surveys of men from seven countries in the Asia Pacific region

“…There is increasing recognition of the negative impact of gendered social norms and gender inequality on health outcomes and behaviours [24], discussion of how gender and drinking intersect and discussion of what interventions are most effective in reducing perpetration of IPV [25][26][27][28]. For boys and men, ascribing to traditional norms of masculinity (including gender-inequitable attitudes) has been associated with risky health behaviours, including excessive alcohol consumption and use of harmful substances, men's use of violence against other men [29,30] and perpetration of IPV [31][32][33].…”

Factors associated with domestic violence in the Lahu hill tribe of northern Thailand: A cross-sectional study

“…A study in the United Kingdom (UK) also showed that alcohol was detected as a major cause of domestic violence [ 41 ]. Chan [ 42 ] and Yates [ 43 ] clearly demonstrated the association between alcohol use and domestic violence in the Australian context. In Thailand, a retrospective study conducted by Tongsamsi [ 16 ] reported that alcohol was found to be the major cause of domestic violence in Thailand.…”

Participatory practice guideline development at the intersections of domestic and family violence, mental distress and/or parental substance use

“…Perpetrators of violence also frequently use AODs in the context of violence and coercive control. Police data (Yates, 2019) and domestic homicide data (Bryant and Bricknell, 2017) point to the use of substances as part of the DFV used as a precursor to violence or in the context of an abusive incident (Humphreys et al, 2005).…”

“…The way these problems intersect is gendered, complex and multi-directional. Yates (2019) argues that AOD is linked to DFV in three ways: increased frequency and severity of perpetration; increased severity of victimization; and as a coping strategy for victim-survivors.…”