Women who use drugs reflect on parental drug use, their paths of consumption and access to services
After an initial publication on children whose parents use drugs in 2022, the Pompidou Group has continued research on this topic as part of an ongoing effort to give visibility to these children and to develop proposals for creating or strengthening services that both protect children and support families. It also intertwines with the effort of the Pompidou Group to integrate a gender dimension into drug policies in Europe.
This volume contains testimonies from 110 women who use drugs, in 11 different countries: Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Mexico, North Macedonia, Romania and Switzerland, and who participated in individual or collective interviews about their parental drug use, their paths of consumption and how they access services, including the barriers and facilitators encountered. Their involvement through providing valuable information on gender-responsive, drugrelated policies is appreciated and their contribution is recognised.
The Children and families affected by parental drug use series comprises four volumes:
Volume I Children whose parents use drugs – Promising practices and recommendations
Volume II We are warriors – Women who use drugs reflect on parental drug use, their paths of consumption and access to services
Volume III Listen to the silence of the child – Children share their experiences and proposals on the impact of drug use in the family
Volume IV Children and parents affected by drug use – An overview of programmes and actions for comprehensive and non-stigmatising services and care
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 2 – QUANTITATIVE INFORMATION ON THE WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN THE INTERVIEWS
CHAPTER 3 – SUBSTANCE USE IN THE FAMILY DURING CHILDHOOD
CHAPTER 4 – PATHS OF DRUG USE
CHAPTER 5 – RISKS FOR WOMEN WHO USE DRUGS
CHAPTER 6 – PREGNANCY AND MOTHERHOOD
CHAPTER 7 – STIGMA V. SUPPORT
CHAPTER 8 – FEARS AND EXPECTATIONS AFTER INPATIENT TREATMENT
CHAPTER 9 – CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
APPENDIX I – PEOPLE AND SERVICES THAT PARTICIPATED IN THE RESEARCH
APPENDIX II – QUESTIONS ASKED IN THE INTERVIEWS WITH WOMEN WHO USE DRUGS
