How perpetrators of domestic violence use drugs and alcohol to control their victims

At least three decades of research on the relationship between substance use and domestic and family violence consistently shows that the frequency, severity and impact of violence increase when the perpetrator uses alcohol or other drugs.

Approximately 24–54% of domestic and family violence cases reported to police in Australia are classified as alcohol-related, while other drugs are involved in 1–9% of cases. This is consistent with international evidence showing that drug use is present in 25–50% of domestic and family violence cases.

Several studies have also suggested that domestic and family violence is more severe when drugs are involved. An Australian study examining 240 women murdered by their current or former male partner between 2010 and 2018 reported that more than 60% of male perpetrators were under the influence of alcohol or drugs during the fatal incident.

Other research shows that alcohol-related domestic and family violence is two to three times more likely to result in serious physical violence, such as life-threatening injuries and broken bones, than domestic and family violence that does not involve alcohol.

However, our research is specifically interested in the role that alcohol and other drugs play in perpetrators' violence and abuse tactics. This is sometimes referred to as “substance compulsion” and is a type of coercive control.

Understanding coercive measures for substance abuse

Coercive control is a repeated pattern of emotional, verbal, sexual, financial, or technologically enabled abuse that creates fear and exerts control over another person.

A set of national principles to combat coercive control in family and domestic violence recognises that substance use can be exploited in the same way as technology or financial abuse.

Our work identifies several ways in which offenders use alcohol or other drugs as a form of coercive control or, in other words, exploit their own substance use to gain more power. These include:

• to excuse her violence (“The alcohol made me do it”)

• to shift the focus from their abuse to other problems (“I have a drug problem, that’s more important”)

• to control others through their substance use. For example, when a violent person is drunk or going through withdrawal, victims often comply with their demands or avoid confrontation in order to de-escalate the violence.

Abusers may also weaponize victims' substance use. Research shows that victims of domestic violence may begin using substances to numb physical and emotional pain.

Perpetrators often use this practice to increase their power and control over victims and to undermine their credibility if the authorities are involved.

Likewise, perpetrators may reinforce victims' existing substance use, for example, by pushing them to drink or use drugs more frequently. Alternatively, they may sabotage victims' recovery efforts by denying them access to treatment services.

Another tactic is to lie about the type and extent of the victim's substance use. This can undermine their credibility with authorities such as child protective services or family court.

Children also suffer

Basically, children are horrified when they hear that their father comes home drunk and abusive. They are afraid for themselves and their mothers, and often find that after the verbal abuse that follows, neither parent can care for them.

They may also be involved in their father's drug addiction. For example:

If you don't shut the kids up, I'll drink.

Child protection data show how serious it is when one or both parents suffer from drug and substance abuse and are therefore exposed to violence.

A recent study from New South Wales reported on children exposed to domestic and family violence. Children where one or both parents had substance abuse or mental health problems were three times more likely to be identified as being at risk and requiring legal intervention than children who were solely exposed to domestic and family violence.

Children in situations where substance abuse and domestic and family violence coincide are among the most vulnerable children in Australia.

What can we do?

Policy and practice responses to the relationship between domestic violence and drug use, both in Australia and internationally, tend to focus on single issues: domestic violence or drug use.

Although many families experience domestic violence and substance abuse as closely linked, the experiences of aid organizations are often fragmented and treated as separate problems.

Our research examines how these two highly siloed areas can work together in a 17-week group program for fathers who exhibited violence and abuse related to drug use. These men had a longer history of violence and abuse than men in a similar program that focused exclusively on violence.

International evidence shows that while programs are developed to address both substance abuse and domestic violence, they are rarely sustained despite proven effectiveness.

We want to see more nuanced policy and practice that considers the complex interface between domestic and family violence and drug use. Importantly, these approaches consider children's experiences of these intersecting issues and provide tailored responses to promote their safety.

The national sexual assault, family and domestic violence support line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to all Australians who have experienced, or are at risk of experiencing, family or domestic violence and/or sexual assault.