Expanding Resources for Survivors in Active Addiction

At the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, we serve a distinct population: survivors of sexual assault, harassment, and abuse and their family, friends, and partners. Many survivors we work with are facing a multitude of challenges, and sometimes that includes substance use and addiction. Some survivors may have begun to rely on substance use as a way of coping with the trauma they’ve experienced, and some may have struggled with addiction prior. Either way, BARCC wants to support all survivors in their healing, and we’ve been working to bolster our capacity in supporting survivors in active addiction. 

With slim budgets for both sexual violence and the treatment of substance use, the fields have stayed siloed despite the strong connection between them. In order to carry out a holistic approach to healing, BARCC has sought to close this gap in services. Danielle Balocca, BARCC’s clinical group and substance use specialist, recently completed a UMass Boston program certifying her as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor (LACD). She is actively working to improve BARCC’s internal practices for working with survivors as well as making connections with programs for drug and alcohol treatment in the community.

“Survivors naturally look for a way to eliminate flashbacks and anxiety,” Danielle said of the link between substance misuse and sexual trauma. “Relying on substances doesn’t make you a bad person; it makes a lot of sense as a way to reduce suffering such as anxiety. Unfortunately,  it can also get in the way of healing from sexual trauma.”

Many survivors’ sense of guilt, shame, and self-blame around their trauma can be increased if they were using substances while assaulted or if they were assaulted while seeking drugs or alcohol. It’s important to remember that a person under the influence of any substance cannot legally consent to sexual activity, and sexual assault is never the survivor’s fault. 

Both survivors of sexual trauma and people who are struggling with addiction may experience similar fallout due to the persistent stigma of each issue in our society. Because of this, Danielle says that survivors who are relying on or addicted to substances often feel a compounded sense of shame, guilt, and isolation, particularly when seeking support or treatment.

Danielle’s specialized training and license allows her to work with more survivors, often through building referral partnerships with recovery programs and agencies. Additionally, by training recovery providers, they not only refer survivors to BARCC’s free services but can also better support survivors of sexual violence themselves.

With the help of our partners in the recovery field, Danielle says, “we’re learning how we can be more open to and effective in our work with survivors in various stages of substance use or recovery, and to coordinate effectively with providers they’re working with.” 

For survivors who are struggling with these issues, we have resources available to you that do not require you to disclose substance use to initiate services. These include BARCC’s free educational workshops for survivors. Danielle facilitates these workshops at various recovery homes in Greater Boston in addition to at BARCC. You should also know that BARCC doesn’t take legal action if a survivor discloses that they’re using an illegal substance. Through Danielle’s work, we envision seeing more survivors through their recovery process.

Learn more about BARCC services here. If you or someone you love is seeking treatment for substance addiction, the Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline can connect you to further resources.