The Invisibility of Socially Inserted Women who use Illicit Drugs in Health Services and Criminal Justice System: Women’s Perspectives
Résumé
Women who use or sell drugs are underserved by French public health services. This poster presents data on the perspectives of women who use or sell drugs regarding how they interact with addiction services and with the police, paying specific attention to gender and social environment. This qualitative research is based on a total of 30 semi-structured interviews with 20 women in Bordeaux (France), all of whom are drug users and/or dealers and are socially inserted. All participants describe their substance use as self-managed and unproblematic ; none participants has ever utilized harm reduction or addiction services, because they felt that they did not need help. With regard to relations with the police, participants feel safe, and reported being able to exploit preconceived ideas that French police has about people who use drugs. Current harm reduction and addiction services are not adapted to socially inserted women who take illicit drugs ; the accessibility and adequacy of these services should be improved.