Mitigating Trauma and Problematic Drug Use with a Focus on Empathy – Insights from Metzineres

Trauma stemming from experiences of gender-based violence, such as violence from partners, family members; forced displacement, homelessness, and poverty can fuel the development and persistence of problems related with drug use. Individuals navigating such harrowing circumstances may use drugs as coping mechanisms, seeking to numb emotional pain, regain control, or escape distress. This connection between trauma and drug use is intricately linked to physical and emotional factors.

Gender-based violence amplifies the trauma experienced by survivors who often endure anxiety, depression and low self-esteem. Emotional abuse, manipulation, and constant fear create a unique set of challenges, leading to severe emotional trauma.

Forced displacement persecution, rejection/hide from the community, brings about the loss of home, community, and family. Displaced individuals frequently experience traumatic events. The ongoing uncertainty about the future, living conditions, and the search for safety can foster chronic stress and a sense of powerlessness.

Homelessness compounds the trauma by entailing a loss of stable housing and the breakdown of social support networks. Before being in a roofless situation, womxn would survive multiple situations of violence, exploitation, and abuse, leading to social isolation, feelings of exclusion, loneliness, and despair. When they live in the streets all these risks are heightened.

Living in poverty adds another layer of chronic stress due to financial instability, food insecurity, and inadequate access to healthcare. Poverty is often accompanied by social stigma and discrimination.

Addressing the trauma associated with these experiences with understanding and empathy is pivotal in reducing the problems related with drug use. Metzineres, first integrated harm reduction program exclusively for women and gender non-conforming individuals, exemplifies this dignifying approach that targets those who face barriers to accessing services and health and social resources. Many attendees are survivors of gender-based violence, drug users, sex workers, undocumented migrants, of trans experience, and/or living with HIV or Hepatitis C.

Metzineres adopts a direct and holistic approach tailored to each person's specific needs, responding to expectations, concerns, and interests. It operates as a space based on a full spectrum of harm reduction approaches, intersectional feminism, and a human rights perspective, empowering every womxn as a protagonist. This strategy involves creating a safe and empowering environment, understanding individual experiences, and addressing underlying issues contributing to the problems related with drug use. By providing a supportive atmosphere and integrating harm reduction with a focus on human dignity, Metzineres significantly contributes to fostering long-term well-being amidst the challenges of trauma and problems related with drug use, especially considering the impact of gender-based violence.