Women’s activism in a drug user union in the Downtown Eastside

Abstract

Marginalized women in Canada who use criminalized drugs are often defined through institutional discourses of addiction, disease, poverty, sex work, and violence. Framed by many researchers as an at risk population, the fullness of these women’s lives is often rendered invisible, and the complexity, diversity, and range of experiences of their political and community work and their movement through the city are less often a topic of interest. This gap is addressed through an exploration of how some marginalized women come to know and experience themselves politically and physically, as part of a reflection upon their movement in and through the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Drawing from community-based research in the DTES over a four-month period with women in leadership roles at the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, a drug user union, this paper highlights the results from focus groups and brainstorming sessions. The participants disrupt conventional notions of addiction and criminalization through their political and community activities and their ongoing resistance to systemic discrimination.

Keywords:

• community-based research
• drug users
• drug user union
• marginalized women
• criminalization
• women leaders
• activism
• Aboriginal
• Downtown Eastside

Notes

1. In keeping with VANDU’s principles for researchers working with them, the authors met with the board to explain the framework of the research. The VANDU board and the participants approved the research proposal and ethics application, which was then submitted to a University ethics board for approval. In addition, the first formal meeting consisted of going over the information sheet about the project, the consent form, and time commitment. Consent was revisited several times during the course of the project.

2. In addition, a formal launch of some of the project findings took place at VANDU on 26 November 2013. In this capacity, the women spoke about their work on the project to VANDU members and staff.

3. Money Tree is a private company that profits from poverty. It provides payday loans at 23% of the principal. See http://www.moneytreeinc.ca/branch/commercial.aspx.