Being a woman who has used drugs and works in the field of drug use

Women who use drugs have long been, and still too often are, invisible in representations, health systems, and research on drugs. This article, written by four authors, looks back at the trajectories of drug use and treatment among four women working in the harm reduction sector: Anne Coppel, Pascale Bastiani, Hélène Delaquaize, and Sarah Perrin. The article highlights the violence suffered by these women from different generations, not only in the world of drug dealing and use, but also in the world of social and health care, focusing in particular on the experiences of Hélène Delaquaize and Pascale Bastiani at Le Patriarche. The article concludes by analyzing how these lived experiences have shaped the professional careers of the four authors, and by looking at intersectional and community perspectives for improving harm reduction and moving away from stereotypical views of women who use drugs.