Abusers Using Drugs and Alcohol as a Weapon of Control, Women's Refuge Warns
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Abusive partners are using drugs, alcohol and medication to control women, according to new reports from New Zealand. Some abusers force women to drink alcohol, take illegal drugs or misuse prescription medicine. These reports show that substance abuse is not only a personal problem but also a tool that abusers use to hurt and control their partners.
Women's Refuge, the national organisation that supports people affected by family violence, has seen this pattern among the people it helps. More than one fifth of its clients say that they have also been blocked from something important in their lives. The full details of how these women were blocked were not available in the report we received, so it is not clear exactly what barriers they faced.
Experts and support workers say that drugs and alcohol can make it harder for women to leave dangerous relationships. When a woman depends on a substance, or is made to depend on it, she may feel afraid, confused or unable to make decisions for herself. This can also make it harder for her to ask for help from friends, family or the police.
Family violence remains a serious issue in New Zealand. Anyone who is experiencing abuse, or who is worried about someone else, can contact Women's Refuge or the Family Violence Information Line for free and confidential support. In an emergency, people should call 111.
Sources: 1News
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