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Domestic Violence Information

Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence

The use of alcohol and other drugs by either partner is a risk factor for domestic violence. Substance use may increase the likelihood that a batterer will commit an act of domestic violence. It reduces inhibitions and distorts perceptions. Alcohol use tends to be an excuse for violent behavior. Substance use and domestic violence tend to follow parallel, escalating patterns.

You Are Not Alone

Abuse happens in every culture and age group - and if it is happening to you, we can help.

If you are being abused you probably feel frightened, angry, and without hope. Your partner might make it worse by blaming you, but no one deserves to be abused or threatened. You cannot stop your partner's abuse, but there are ways to find the support and help you need - and the hope we all deserve.

What You Can do Right Now

If you are in immediate danger, call 911

Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to find the domestic violence program near you. Visit their website at National Domestic Violence Hotline to make a plan that is safe for you. Talk with somebody you trust: a friend, relative, or someone from your job or house of worship. Put together an emergency kit of things you would need if you had to leave suddenly, such as identification, medicine, keys, and money. This will also make you feel more in control.

Remember that you are the expert about your own life. Do not let anyone talk you into doing something that is not right for you.

Outreach

The California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
  • A catalyst and advocate for social change through innovative solutions to ensure safety and justice for victims and survivors of domestic violence and their children. Learn more
My Sister's House
  • A safe haven for battered Asian and Pacific Islander women and children (learn more)

  • A 24 hour multilingual help line: 1-916-428-3271
WEAVE - Domestic violence and sexual assault services (learn more)

The Family Violence Prevention Fund
  • Working to prevent violence within the home and the community, and to help those whose lives are devastated by violence. Learn more

CA Office of the Attorney General

Informational Documents

  • Fact Sheet - Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence


  • Depression, Substance Abuse, and Domestic Violence – Increasingly, research confirms the prevalence of depression, domestic violence, and substance abuse among low-income women, particularly those on welfare. Learn more


  • Trauma: The Red Thread Connecting Substance Use and Mental Illness - Recent research provides extensive evidence on the role trauma plays in the development of co-occurring disorders (COD). Learn more


  • Using Trauma-Informed AOD Treatment Practices to Improve Outcomes for African American Survivors of Domestic Violence – African American women have as high a rate (and in some studies higher) of trauma as women from other racial groups in substance abuse treatment. Learn more