Issues in the linkage of alcohol and domestic violence services

It is well established that alcohol is a risk factor for male against female domestic violence. Some evidence also suggests that some women victims of domestic violence develop substance abuse problems in response to their victimization. Although interpretations vary regarding the exact nature of the relationship of substance abuse and domestic violence offending and victimization, there is evidence that linking substance abuse and domestic violence services could have a positive impact on batterer cessation and victim support services. Currently, however, service linkage for the two problems is rare. There are major barriers to linkage of substance abuse and domestic violence services, including philosophical differences of treatment perspective between program types and structural impediments that make linkage difficult. The chapter discusses the barriers to linkage, examines potentially useful linkage models, and suggests the next steps to examine the feasibility of linking services for the two problems.