Despite the high correlation that emerges between victimization and substance abuse for women in substance abuse treatment programs, it appears that the incidence of alcohol abuse by battered women is the same or only slightly higher than the incidence among women in general. Even so, there are a number of ways in which victimization and chemical use are related that are important to consider in developing strategies for providing assistance. Coerced or manipulated use by partner.
Some coercion is overt.
For example, some women report being tied down and forcibly injected with drugs. Much coerced use, however, is more subtle. Abusers may pressure victims to use certain drugs in social contexts and A to have fun and party. Abusive partners may pressure victims to use certain drugs in order to avoid embarrassment in front of their friends. Such pressure is often applied in the form of threats.