By Maureen Norton-Hawk, co-author Can’t Catch a Break. If you were to meet Nicole you would never imagine that she had been battling a drug […]
The Opioid Epidemic? Just the Facts, Please.
Headlines decrying the “opioid epidemic” have been in the news on a daily basis lately. Politicians, public figures and journalists here in Massachusetts as elsewhere […]
Like the “Girl Who Hides a Razor Blade in Her Mouth,” Coerced Addiction Treatment Has Many Victims
This article was originally published on April 13, 2016 by The Influence. Kahtia “acted out” from a young age. At least that’s what the counselors […]
Alternatives to Incarceration: Be Careful What You Wish For
As awareness is growing of the financial and human costs associated with mass incarceration, we’re hearing talk from politicians on both sides of the aisle […]
Aswirl in a sad spiral, women in detox face human rights violation
Reprinted from the Boston Globe, August 19, 2014 The Aug. 14 editorial “Women get unequal treatment in court-ordered detox” underscored an egregious violation of human […]
Suicide is Painful, Update
Last week I wrote about my friend Joy, a woman who has dealt with sexual violence, homelessness, substance abuse, humiliation and criminalization since she was […]
Suicide is Painful
The week that Robin Williams’ suicide hit every media outlet in the country, my friend Joy drove into the woods, shot herself up with enough […]
White Women, Opiates and Prison
Author’s note: Race is hard to write about; so is class; so is gender. I struggle with articulating — especially in a short essay — […]