ABSTRACT
Studies of domestic violence frequently indicate high rates of alcohol and other drug use by perpetrators during abuse. Not only do batterers tend to abuse drugs and alcohol, but domestic violence also increases the probability that victims will use alcohol and drugs to cope with abuse. This chapter aims to look at substance use and abuse as a form of blame and ways to avoid using substance abuse to be controlling and abusive. It also explains how substance abuse affects the entire family unit. Although there is no definitive causal link between domestic violence and substance abuse, the failure to deal with domestic violence in substance abuse treatment programs or to deal with substance abuse in domestic violence programs interferes with the effectiveness of these programs. Many service providers recognize the correlation between substance abuse and domestic violence, but few domestic violence programs can offer adequate counseling or health services for substance abusers.
