In recent years, the visibility of women’s issues within public health policy has gained momentum, yet groundbreaking research reveals substantial gaps in the UK government’s current approach to drug and alcohol treatment. A collaborative study conducted by the University of Staffordshire, Expert Citizens CIC, and the Centre for Justice Innovation has unveiled a disturbing pattern of gender inequity within substance-use support frameworks, highlighting how these systems systematically overlook the unique needs of women. This emerging evidence raises critical questions about the inclusiveness and efficacy of national drug strategies and calls for urgent reform that integrates gender-sensitive and trauma-informed care.
The study, published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, employed qualitative methodologies including interviews and focus groups with female service users alongside healthcare professionals within the substance abuse treatment sector. These in-depth conversations illuminated complex barriers faced by women navigating recovery pathways, many of which are rooted in the intersectionality of trauma and social disadvantage. According to the research, a majority of women accessing treatment had endured profound adverse childhood experiences—ranging from early life neglect to domestic abuse—and had often faced the traumatic removal of their children by state services. These compounding factors create a convoluted landscape where substance use emerges as both symptom and coping mechanism.
Sarah Page, Associate Professor of Social Justice and Social Learning, emphasized that women’s substance use frequently functions as an adaptive response to unresolved trauma, both from childhood and adult experiences of violence and exploitation. The research draws attention to a particularly vulnerable demographic: girls who have been groomed into drug dependency and subjected to sexual exploitation or trafficking. The long-term repercussions of such exploitation persist as these individuals transition into adulthood, yet existing services remain ill-equipped to address the layered needs imposed by historical and ongoing victimization.
Moreover, the study highlights systemic shortcomings embedded within treatment settings themselves. Women report encountering significant obstacles such as protracted wait times before accessing services and policies mandating abstinence as a prerequisite for counseling. These conditions not only hinder initial engagement but exacerbate the challenges of sustained recovery. The scarcity of integrated multi-agency support—encompassing housing assistance, childcare, and food security—further exacerbates gender-specific vulnerability, often rendering recovery efforts precarious or unsustainable.
A particularly alarming discovery involves the dynamics of mixed-gender treatment environments. Female participants described feeling unsafe and exposed to heightened risks of domestic abuse, sexual harassment, and other inappropriate conduct perpetrated by male peers within these settings. Such findings underscore the urgent need for women-only spaces where privacy and security can be guaranteed, thereby fostering therapeutic environments conducive to meaningful recovery and empowerment.
The current UK national drugs strategy, From Harm to Hope, implemented under the previous administration, has been criticized by the researchers for insufficiently addressing the nuanced requirements of women. The study advocates for a paradigm shift towards comprehensive policy reform that encompasses explicit gender-sensitive provisions and trauma-informed frameworks. Crucially, this would entail the establishment of streamlined referral pathways that integrate mental health services, domestic violence support, and social care under one coordinated infrastructure.
Fiona McCormack, a Research Fellow affiliated with the University’s Centre for Health and Development, highlighted the disconnect between the national drugs strategy and the broader women’s health agenda, particularly concerning violence prevention and mental health improvement. Bridging this gap is essential for crafting holistic policies that do not merely aim for sobriety but address the root causes of substance dependence and its psychosocial determinants.
The researchers propose a model of service delivery that centralizes multi-agency collaboration, co-locating essential services such as counseling, childcare, housing support, and welfare resources. Such integrated hubs would acknowledge the complex, overlapping needs faced by women with substance use issues, providing a cradle-to-recovery continuum that fosters stability, safety, and empowerment.
This research carries profound implications for public health and social policy, challenging prevailing one-size-fits-all approaches to substance abuse treatment. By foregrounding women’s lived experiences and dismantling barriers tied to trauma and gender-based violence, the findings call for transformative change. Effective reform must prioritize trauma-informed care, gender-tailored programming, and mechanisms that facilitate accessible, dignified, and sustainable recovery pathways.
Importantly, the study was funded by The JABBS Foundation and the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioners Office, signaling a cross-sector recognition of the need to reconcile criminal justice, health, and social welfare considerations. The collaboration between academic institutions and civic organizations exemplifies an emergent model of research-driven policy intervention.
The comprehensive analysis contained in the publication, “Raising a Public Health Concern: Women Overlooked in UK Drug Policy and Disadvantaged in Mixed-Gender Community Services,” presents a pressing call to action for policymakers and practitioners alike. By adopting evidence-based strategies that acknowledge gender disparities and trauma-related complexities, the UK can move towards more inclusive, effective, and humane substance use treatment that truly meets the needs of all individuals.
Subject of Research:
People
Article Title:
Raising a Public Health Concern: Women Overlooked in UK Drug Policy and Disadvantaged in Mixed-Gender Community Services
News Publication Date:
19-Oct-2025
Web References:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22101584
References:
Women Overlooked in UK Drug Policy and Disadvantaged in Mixed-Gender Community Services, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, DOI: 10.3390/ijerph22101584
Keywords:
Health care, Social research, Substance abuse, Domestic violence, Alcohol abuse, Drug abuse, Government, Public policy, Health care policy, Women’s studies
