The Correlation Between Battering and Chemical Use

For many years, people have believed that battering was caused by or made worse by alcohol or drug use.   However, no such causation has been proven.  There are people who use alcohol and drugs who don’t batter.  A woman’s use of chemicals does not cause her physical abuse by a partner, although some may turn to alcohol and other drugs in response to the abuse. Alcohol abuse, drug abuse and battering need to be dealt with as separate issues.   Chemical dependency treatment will not “cure” violent behavior and may, in fact, put the battered woman in further danger.   Batterers who quit using drugs and/or alcohol may or may not stop their physical violence.