Basic HTML Version
The
BIG
Debate
Chaired by Adele Blakebrough, The Big Debate was the evening event of
Kaleidoscope’s conference on women’s issues. The panel included politicians –
Kirstie Williams, leader of the Liberal Democrats in Wales, Suzy Davis for the
Conservatives, Jocelyn Davies from Plaid Cymru, Julie Morgan of the Labour Party –
and solicitor Kirstie Douse, head of legal services for the charity Release. Questions
were welcomed on all aspects of women’s issues, with the following relating more
specifically to drink and drugs:
Howwill services be maintained in rural areas with the loss of rural weighting from
Welsh funding?
Kirstie Douse said that people in rural areas should be encouraged
to lobby for increased accessibility. JulieMorgan argued that funding was scarce and
there were more people in urban areas. It was generally accepted that problems
could be more hidden, though no less real, in rural areas. Suzy Davis advocated
better use of human rather than just financial resources, but acknowledged that this
would also require funding.
Should the Welsh Assembly push for a minimum pricing policy for alcohol?
The
point was made that there were indications that Westminster intended to
abandon these plans. However a show of hands saw a majority vote in favour of
minimum pricing. Julie Morgan said Labour would support it, but they didn’t have
the powers. Suzy Davis argued that minimum pricing made addiction more
expensive, and this was echoed from the floor, when a woman, describing herself
as an alcoholic, contrasted drinking in city centres with the very different issues
facing a mother feeding her children less, in order to fund her secret drinking habit.
Kirstie Williams claimed that minimum pricing on its own would not change
behaviour, since every addiction was different, but it may play a part as a deterrent.
Is rehab a luxury reserved for men?
It was claimed that rehab units tended to be
designed around men’s needs rather than women’s. Jocelyn Davies said that the
lack of women’s facilities wasn’t deliberate, but happened because historically
they were designed for men. All the panel agreed this was something that
needed action, for example by providing childcare and single-sex facilities where
women would feel less intimidated. Similar points were made about prisons and
integrated defender intervention.
What is being done about IPV and substance abuse?
The link between IPV
(intimate partner violence) and substance use had been discussed during the day
conference. Kirstie Williams advocated more informed, holistic approaches, with
joined-up services and an overarching campaign. She said that this would be more
cost effective, and would also encompass a more realistic understanding of the
relevant issues.
Is it time for an impact assessment concerning the failure of prohibition?
Jocelyn
Davies said that legalising drugs would mean there were more things, like tobacco
and alcohol, that ’everyone tries,’ which in itself had further implications. The panel
welcomed the idea of wider debate on the subject and noted the difficulties
politicians faced when taking an individual stance on this.
Other questions included the so-called ‘bedroom’ tax, prison facilities inWales, and the
work/life balance for women with families.
April 2013 |
drinkanddrugsnews
| 11
www.drinkanddrugsnews.com
Conference report |
Women’s support
partner. However, IPV services did not routinely treat substance misuse, and
substance misuse services did not treat IPV.
Meanwhile, cuts to funding in the areas of domestic violence and sexual abuse
meant even less support for IPV issues. ‘This means that substance abuse
agencies need to get involved in dealing with IPV and other problems more
effectively,’ said Gilchrist. Dr Bernadette Hard from Kaleidoscope advocated
increased use of long acting reversible contraception (LARC). Contraceptives that
were effective by default, without relying on the woman’s actions, could help to
address the imbalance, where vulnerable women were forced to exercise a greater
sense of responsibility than men.
Workshops included a presentation on service user involvement, by Rondine
Molinaro of Gwent service user group The Voice. Rondine described service users
as ‘experts by experience’ and made the case for a wider awareness of the 2007
service user involvement framework (online at http://bit.ly/ZHBzDD) which set out
a ladder diagram depicting ways in which service users can be involved in
influencing and improving services. Head of legal services at Release, Kirstie
Douse, examined the issue of service users’ rights. She claimed that benefits
systems tended to favour those with a non-stigmatised, visible disability. Alcohol
and drug-related claimants needed to spell out clearly what their problems were,
take someone with them if necessary, and appeal if the result went against them.
She advised contacting Release for advice, since 95 per cent of appeals were
successful with legal assistance.
Drug and alcohol awareness in education was addressed in a workshop by
Debbie Blakebrough and Leanne Teichner from Kaleidoscope. They looked at realistic
and beneficial educational aims, including empowering young people to make
informed choices of their own. Other approaches, where schools excluded children
for drug taking, and police focused on criminality, had been found to stigmatise and
isolate people, and even glamorise drug-related behaviours. The workshop ended by
encouraging women to celebrate their strengths and assets, rather than feel they
just had to survive in a world seemingly designed around men. Likewise, Rebecca
Daddow from the RSA encouraged delegates to consider ‘recovery capital’ – the
various resources and empowerment that could come from a holistic look at human
life in all its dimensions, for the benefit of recoverers.
It was a stirring conference and a fascinating overview of a complex subject,
which will hopefully lead to more opportunities for services and agencies to work
more closely together for the good of women and society.
Sarah Orrell is a freelance journalist
‘Women are resilient, resourceful
and very strong. The service
provider’s job is to help women
find that inner strength.’
AMANDA DAVIES, CEO SEREN GROUP