Copenhagen opens women-only drug room

Copenhagen’s City Council has allocated 3.8 million Danish kroner towards the creation of a drug consumption room exclusively for women, aiming to provide a safe space and potentially save lives. Vulnerable women in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro drug scene are often exposed to violence and assault. To safeguard them, especially after drug use increases their vulnerability, the room will be built at the women’s shelter ‘Reden’. Currently, illicit drug use at the shelter poses risks without professional medical assistance. Though funding for the construction is secured, operational costs are not yet covered. Annika Smith, the council member who initiated the proposal, stresses the need for proper funding to ensure the facility’s benefit. The shelter plans to have two cabins for safe drug intake and is intimately familiar with the women it serves, which aids in addiction-related discussions. Last year, Reden reported 26 rapes and 149 violence incidents among its users.