Harm reduction drop-in combats stigma for Sudbury women

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This Sunday marks International Overdose Awareness Day, with numerous community organizations in Greater Sudbury dedicating the week to highlighting the ongoing crisis and providing public education.

Among them is Reseau Access Network, a non-profit charitable organization committed to promoting wellness, harm reduction and education.

A key initiative in its outreach is the weekly harm reduction drop-in for women, held every Wednesday morning from 10 a.m. to noon.

Safe haven from stigma

For participants like 55-year-old Sandy Leigh, who is battling leukemia, the drop-in is a critical refuge.

Leigh said she uses street drugs to manage profound physical and emotional pain stemming from a lifetime of trauma. The women-only nature of the group is fundamental to her ability to engage.

“Comfortable because it’s women not men, because I can’t do a group with men -- I freeze,” she said.

“I feel threatened,” said Leigh

Vulnerable demographic

The Reseau Access Network designed the weekly drop-in to specifically help women who are precariously housed, actively using drugs, or have done so in the past.

Tracy Gregory, a peer engagement coordinator at the network, described the program’s mission:

“To speak to the issues that are important to us in a safe and meaningful way. We are able to provide some access to some snacks and some things that many women in community are denied access to.”

That sentiment is echoed by Majero Bouman, the women and community development coordinator, who emphasized the program’s role as a respite from hardship.

“For people to just put down what they are carrying for a little while. It’s hard out there,” Bouman said.

Safety in a climate of stigma

Bouman said their general harm reduction window serves more men than women, a ratio attributed to the distinct barriers women who use drugs face.

“It’s because women face a lot of stigma who are using drugs, and it can be unsafe for them to access harm reduction materials, and they can be controlled on the outside world,” she said.

“This is a space where they can come in and take what they need without having to ask.”

Harm reduction and dignity

The drop-in offers a comprehensive suite of supports tailored to the women’s needs.

That includes harm reduction supplies and test-before-use drug kits, which are critical for overdose prevention.

The program provides basic necessities often denied to this demographic, such as bras and underwear.

Officials say ultimately, it serves as a vital space to share, belong and build community, addressing both immediate physical needs and the profound human need for connection and dignity.