Sexual Violence and Addiction
Addictions Research Project
CCASA is a leader in the sexual violence sector, and is committed to furthering its knowledge in order to be flexible and responsive to the needs of sexual violence survivors and the community.
One of the current projects CCASA is involved in surrounds the research behind sexual abuse and sexual assault and its tie to addictions.
For the past two years, CCASA has been partnering with addiction serving agencies through modes of cross training, research, and specialized sexual abuse/assault counselling on site at addiction serving agencies to address and meet the needs of survivors of sexual violence who cope with addiction.
CCASA is also conducting a literature review of the current research on survivors of sexual violence who cope with addiction. Research shows strong connections between survivors of sexual abuse and sexual assault and substance and/or behavioral addictions. Furthermore, patterns of relapse (90% of those treated) are seen when survivors access treatment programs that only deal with the addiction and not the root cause of it, sexual violence (Brown, 2000 & Morrissey et al, 2005; Wadsworth et al, 1995 & Rohsenow et al, 1988) thus clients who are survivors of sexual violence who cope with addictions tend to be more successful in their recovery when they address both issues simultaneously.
CCASA is the only specialized sexual violence service provider in the city and surrounding areas that has counsellors who have ongoing and targeted training in both sexual violence and addictions counselling.
The work that CCASA has done with the addiction serving agencies has given a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between trauma and addictions and offered a more thorough, accurate and in-depth understanding with how best to counsel clients with substance addictions.
