“92% of women do not receive needed treatment for alcohol and drug problems. This is due in part to the lack of available treatment options that meet the needs of women.”
This quote comes from Women Under the Influence, a book from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. The management team here at Crossroads for women recently read this book as a group. We were amazed by the statistical data that showed how women and girls are so differently and adversely affected by drugs, alcohol and cigarettes when compared to men and boys.
As a 30+ year old women’s substance abuse treatment center, we are fully aware of things like women become dependent more quickly and that substance abuse increases the risk of a woman being raped or assaulted. But, with all the facts put together in a book, it made us realize how important gender-specific treatment really is. That’s why we started this blog.
Women have unique needs that need to be addressed in treatment. Women face barriers that just don’t exist for men. These are some of the reasons why less than 10% of the women who need substance abuse treatment are getting it. Let’s talk about it.
