Alcohol, a key contributor to the burden of harm

MEDIA RELEASE

Thursday 2 August 2007

Alcohol use is a key contributor to the burden of harm

Asking mothers and caregivers questions about domestic violence will inevitably expose alcohol and drug use – particularly high risk consumption.

Alcohol use is a key contributor to the burden of harm associated with violence, and family violence is no exception. In the 2001 New Zealand National Survey of Crime Victims 30-40% of those who had experienced violence at the hands of a partner or someone known to them, said the person was affected by alcohol or drugs. Alcohol Healthwatch Director Rebecca Williams believes this is unlikely to represent the full picture, particularly the abuse of young children.

Williams says that if women and caregivers are to be screened for family violence it will be essential that those doing so are skilled in identifying and dealing with the alcohol and drug issues that are likely to be exposed, and have access to adequate services to refer affected people to.

Williams doubts that current alcohol and drug services are adequately resourced to respond to any increase in referrals that come their way. She wonders if the government has considered this impact in their plan to ask questions of mothers and caregivers, and made available additional funding and resources. She says it will be totally unacceptable to turn away people when they are ready to seek help for alcohol and drug issues or to provide an inadequate service because of under-resourcing.

Despite significant community concern about alcohol use and its obvious link with family violence Alcohol Healthwatch can find no obvious mention of alcohol and drug strategies in the recent government response to family violence.

Governments in recent history have stepped right back from effectively addressing the health and social burden related to alcohol issue and remain resistant to the solid evidence base for the most effective measures.

By effectively dealing with alcohol the Government could achieve significant reductions in family violence, other violence and crime, road death and injuries, birth defects, a range of cancers and numerous other negative health consequences. Williams says there is strong agency and public support for many of the effective strategies and support could be built for others. Rather the key barriers appear to be a lack of political will and liquor industry influence.

ENDS

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