The journey to recovery from substance use is deeply personal, yet research consistently shows that women face distinct challenges that require tailored approaches to treatment and support. Understanding these differences is crucial for developing effective services that truly meet women’s needs.

Why Women Need Different Support

Women’s relationship with substances often differs significantly from men’s experiences. Research indicates that women’s substance use is more commonly linked to trauma and abuse, focuses on different substances, and is complicated by biological differences and caring responsibilities.

Key differences include:

• Higher rates of prescription drug and alcohol use compared to illegal substances
• Greater likelihood of experiencing domestic or sexual abuse
• More complex trauma histories that influence substance use
• Increased caring responsibilities for children and family members
• Different biological responses to substances

Barriers Women Face in Accessing Treatment

Despite making up a significant portion of those affected by substance use, women remain underrepresented in treatment services. Several factors contribute to this disparity:

Stigma and Judgement

Society often judges women more harshly for substance use, particularly mothers. This stigma can prevent women from seeking help when they need it most.

Safety Concerns

Many women feel unsafe in mixed-gender treatment environments, especially those who have experienced abuse or trauma. This can create a significant barrier to accessing support.

Caring Responsibilities

Fear of having children removed from their care can prevent mothers from disclosing substance use. Additionally, practical barriers like childcare arrangements can make regular attendance at treatment sessions difficult.

Cultural and Community Barriers

Women from certain ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ women, and those with disabilities may face additional barriers that require culturally sensitive approaches to support.

Five Key Principles for Better Women Recovery Support Services

1. Understanding Local Women’s Needs

Effective services must be built on a comprehensive understanding of local women’s experiences, including those not currently accessing support. This means engaging with community organisations and listening to women with lived experience.

2. Creating Safe, Gender-Responsive Environments

Whether services are mixed-gender or women-only, they must prioritise safety and offer gender-responsive elements such as:

• Choice of same-gender support workers
• Women-only group sessions and spaces
• Flexible delivery to accommodate caring responsibilities
• Safe physical environments with appropriate facilities

3. Building Trauma-Informed Workforces

All staff should receive accredited training in trauma-informed approaches, understanding that many women accessing services will have experienced significant trauma that may be driving their substance use.

4. Developing Integrated Partnership Working

Women often have multiple, interconnected needs. Services work best when they collaborate with domestic abuse services, mental health support, housing providers, and children’s services to provide holistic support.

5. Embedding Lived Experience Voices

Women with lived experience should be involved throughout service development, from understanding needs to evaluating performance. Their insights are invaluable for creating truly responsive services.

Innovative Approaches to Women’s Support

Co-location Models

Bringing substance support into spaces where women already feel comfortable—such as women’s centres, GP surgeries, or community venues—can significantly improve access and engagement.

Specialist Pathways

Some areas have developed specialist services for women with the most complex needs, often using holistic, trauma-informed approaches that address multiple issues simultaneously.

Family-Centred Approaches

Services that work with the whole family, supporting both the woman and her children, can be more effective than those that treat substance use in isolation.

Integrated Health Services

Working closely with women’s health services, including specialist support for pregnancy, menopause, and reproductive health, recognises the interconnected nature of women’s health and wellbeing.

The Importance of Early Intervention

Supporting women before their substance use escalates can prevent more serious problems developing. This includes:

• Training professionals across different services to recognise signs of substance use
• Creating clear referral pathways between services
• Reducing stigma in healthcare settings
• Providing support that addresses underlying issues like domestic abuse or mental health problems

Supporting Women Through Recovery

Recovery is not just about stopping substance use—it’s about rebuilding lives. Effective support recognises that women may need:

• Safe housing options
• Support with rebuilding relationships with children
• Access to education and employment opportunities
• Ongoing mental health support
• Peer support networks

Creating Lasting Change

To create truly effective support for women, we need:

• Long-term commitment from commissioners and policymakers
• Sustainable funding that allows services to build relationships and expertise
• Workforce development that ensures all staff understand trauma-informed practice
• Partnership working that breaks down silos between different services
• Continuous learning from women’s experiences to improve services

Creating Gender-Responsive Services for Women’s Recovery

When services are tailored to address the unique needs of women, the results speak for themselves—outcomes improve dramatically. This doesn’t mean creating entirely separate services; instead, mixed-gender services can be enhanced to be more gender-responsive through thoughtful training, adjustments to the environment, and collaborative partnerships.

However, it does require a commitment to understanding and addressing the complex factors that influence women’s substance use and recovery journeys. By recognising that women’s experiences are different, we can develop more effective, compassionate, and successful approaches to women recovery support.

The goal is not just to help women stop using substances, but to support them in building lives free from the trauma, abuse, and circumstances that may have contributed to their substance use in the first place. This holistic approach benefits not just the women themselves, but their families and communities too.

Source: Justice Innovation