There is a relationship between substance use and domestic abuse. For both men and women, victims and perpetrators, the role of alcohol and drugs has been examined to understand how substances are manifested in the lives of those who are effecting abuse and, are affected by abuse. However, research and literature appears to pay more attention to perpetrators substance use rather that the victims use of substances. Because of this imbalance, women ‘s experiences are invisible. What women do, how they feel, and the support they receive is a missing conversation in substance use and domestic abuse research.
This poster will present ongoing PhD research exploring women ‘s experiences of co-occurring substance use and domestic abuse, specifically focusing on their use of support and help seeking.
As such, this poster will be split into three columns, the first highlighting a gap in literature surrounding women ‘s use of substances and experiences of domestic abuse. The second column will present the methodological influences, specifically the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as the most appropriate method of data collection and analysis. Ideally, the presentation of qualitative methods serves to encourage discussion among delegates regarding the use of qualitative approaches to research in the drug and alcohol field. The final column will present initial thematic findings in the form of verbatim quotations from the women who have participated in this study. Presenting these experiences in print aims to create an impact with delegates and highlight the importance of listening to the lived experiences of women affected by AOD and domestic abuse, both in research and practice.
Co-Authors
PhD Supervisory Team: Prof. Sarah Galvani, Dr. Marian Foley, Prof. Hugh McLaughlin
