ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the benefits of treatment reported by women, which include increased self esteem and independence, the development of support systems and improved social networks, and feeling safe. It explores strategies for reconciling the benefits and costs of treatment for women, and outlines the advantages of screening for physical and sexual abuse, and the merits of specialist women-only agencies, and women's groups within mixed-sex agencies. The lack of residential childcare for women requiring alcohol and drug rehabilitation is a continuing difficulty. Specialist women-only agencies attract women from certain groups, who may otherwise have difficulty in finding treatment suitable for their needs. The men here treat women in the way they think they should be treated. And the women accept that, because that's the message they got. The ability to 'get together as women' may be restricted, however, where numbers of women in treatment are limited.
