Violence, Substance use and Pathways out: Women's Vulnerabilities, Needs, and Capabilities Throughout and Following Care and Support

The aim of this project is to generate knowledge about women’s vulnerabilities and needs at the intersection of gender-based violence and problematic substance use, prior to compulsory care and throughout the entire compulsory care pathway (institutional care, residential care homes, and aftercare). The project also seeks to explore how integrated support interventions can be designed to strengthen the capabilities of women exposed to violence, enabling them to live the lives they value, from the perspectives of both the women themselves and professionals working in the field. A second aim is to integrate these insights into aVulnerability-Needs-Feasibility Model that can guide future research, policy development, and practice.

The project employs a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative repeated measurements with qualitative focus group interviews and individual life-history interviews. Different components of the project examine both the conditions necessary to reduce vulnerability and the risk of revictimization and relapse, and how integrated support can enhance women’s capabilities and opportunities to live in dignity and lives they value.