ABSTRACT
Providing treatment for men and women with alcohol or drug problems who are also either perpetrators or victims of violence is a growing concern for behavioral health care providers and family violence specialists (Miller & Downs, 2000; Miller, Wilsnack, & Cunradi, 2000). The association between substance abuse and men’s perpetration of partner violence, and the association between substance abuse and women’s victimization have been empirically demonstrated (see Wekerle & Wall, this volume). Among clients receiving services for partner violence, high levels of substance abuse problems have been identified. For example, approximately 60%-70% of men in Batterer’s Educations Programs (BEP’s) (Brown, Werk, Caplan, & Seraganian, 1999; Gorney, 1989) and 30%-40% of women in shelters for battered women (Downs, Patterson, Barten, Rindels, & McCrory, 1998; Downs et al., 1999) have been found to have substance abuse problems, mostly alcohol abuse. Among patients receiving clinical care for alcohol or drug problems, the levels of partner violence are quite high. For example, approximately 60%-70% of women in substance abuse treatment have been victimized by partner violence at least once in the past six months (Downs et al., 1998; Downs et al., 1999). Brown, Werk, Caplan, Shields, and Seraganian (1998) found that 57.6% of men in substance abuse treatment had perpetrated family violence in the past year, although this figure included both partner and child abuse.
