Female and male drug abusers are compared in the areas of drug use, lifestyle, relationships, sexuality, crime, and the care of children. Norway has only one inpatient treatment center exclusively for women; this is due more to the small population (4 million) of Norway rather than a policy of limiting the number of such centers. The primary strategy in serving the women drug users has been to change or modify the services to cater more effectively to the particular needs of women, to develop gender- sensitivity in all areas of work, and create "protected" spaces for women inside the treatment centers. Female treatment staff have taken the lead in changing the male-oriented approach for treating drug abusers. One of the first such efforts was to establish women's groups as part of the treatment. These groups are important because of the distinctive physiology of women as well as the cultural expectations associated with women. Efforts to reduce the risk of HIV transmission while under treatment or after treatment have been integrated into the ongoing work of the centers. A long period of after-care is part of the treatment after release from the center.