Citation

Galvani S. Int. J. Drug Policy 2006; 17(3): 248-249.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugpo.2005.12.010

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Comments on an article by "Problem drug use and assault" by J. Neale, M. Bloor, and C. Weir, (see record 2005-16593-005). The authors acknowledge that their study does not address the 'circumstances' of the assault nor 'the relationships between the involved parties'. Practitioners need to be knowledgeable about the dynamics of abuse, be equipped with the knowledge, skills and support as well as the ability to question how the person's experiences are linked to their substance use. The authors state that assault was 'self-defined' which means that each respondent would have interpreted 'assault' differently based on their learning and experiences. In the case of domestic abuse, even women who suffer severe forms of torture and abuse, will often not identify as experiencing 'domestic violence'. Another issue raised by this study is the time-frame set for reported experiences of assault. The authors suggest more qualitative research is needed. It is important to hear the views of the people who suffer or perpetrate violence. They highlight the need for drug treatment settings to address service users' violent tendencies or victimization. There is a need to acknowledge gender differences in terms of the historical context of violence and abuse and the subsequent implications this has for 'strategies for addressing' assault from a treatment perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)