Lest anyone imagine that you have to be a Real alcoholic, a Low-Bottom alcoholic, or even an Adult alcoholic to be targeted for membership by the service organization of a fellowship that includes sex offenders and other court-mandated criminals among its ranks, I'd like to call your attention to the illustrated cartoon pamphlets produced by the AA General Service Organization and intended to introduce drunken children to the wonders of Alcoholics Anonymous.
So here in the good old US of AA, we have an organization loosely in charge of an unsupervised fellowship, widely believed to be the last word in treatment for the fatal malady of drinking too much, that has offered itself up to and been used by the court system as a dumping ground for those who would otherwise need to be sheltered and fed in a penal setting. This organization is intent on letting the world know that AA isn't just for adults, and that anyone who thinks they might have a "drinking problem", including children of all ages, is welcome to join in the fun.
Chronic drunks, one time DUI offenders, spouse abusers, sexual predators, and child molesters
are all sent to AA meetings by the courts, and the fellowship welcomes them with open arms.
Is it really such a good idea to add troubled teens, and even pre-teens, to the mix?
are all sent to AA meetings by the courts, and the fellowship welcomes them with open arms.
Is it really such a good idea to add troubled teens, and even pre-teens, to the mix?
"Dear AA; I am drunk right now and I'm thirteen..."
I can't neglect to mention the widespread tradition of 13 stepping , or the sexual exploitation of AA newcomers. This welcoming behavior is practiced by many experienced AA members, and is covered in detail by Monica Davidson in her recently released documentary film The 13th Step.
Because of the systematic exploitation of newcomers by more experienced AA members, various people have approached the GSO with requests that AA take responsibility and warn newcomers
of the possibility of molestation and abuse. These concerned members and ex members have offered suggestions for how this could easily be done, for instance, via the same kind of printed pamphlets currently used to attract young people to AA. So far, all requests have been ignored or dismissed as an "outside issue", and current AA members insist that it should be left up to the individual groups
to protect newcomers from exploitation.
AA wants to be available to all who might benefit from the program, regardless of how angry, hateful,
fearful, unwilling, or criminal they might be.
No AA pamphlet or literature intended for the general public makes any mention of the disturbing incidence of sexual predation by group members. The pamphlets for teenagers are written in such
a way as to make AA seem much safer than it actually is. Yes, there are "Young People's" groups,
but I have yet to hear of one that doesn't invite older members to attend as well.
Women make up about a third of the fellowship, and I'm sure that's very reassuring for anyone considering allowing their teen to join AA. Most of the sexual predation, from what I've seen and heard, is committed by male members and court ordered hangers-on, but females can certainly
be equally predatory. One of the more scandalous incidences of molestation recently in the news involved an adult female AA member and the underage friends of her teenage daughter.
The abuses go on, as more and more formerly naive, exploited AA members and their friends will attest. Sexual predation, using newcomers as a source of cash, rides, free labor; a place to stay,
all of these types of exploitation are extremely common in AA. There is no outside agency to turn to when a member has been victimized, as there would be in the case of a mental health clinic or other supervised support group.
Most people at an AA meeting reveal only their first names, making it difficult, in the event of an incident, to determine exactly who is a group member, or who was present at any particular meeting. In language taken directly from AA's Too Young pamphlet, no one even needs to know you're here, including, presumably, the adult responsible for your welfare.
Members of local AA groups have no real power to stop exploitation, and don't like to hear about it.
There are no standard rules for behavior, no procedures in place for dealing with abuse, and there is no one in charge at the local level.
Many current members deny that 13 stepping and other abuses happen in their own groups. Experienced AA members often advise the newcomer to "find their own part in it" if they are abused, and even discourage placing the blame on the predator.
The most important thing, the first of the 12 traditions, is to protect AA at all costs.
Printing a pamphlet to warn newcomers of possible dangers might diminish public support of AA.
Admitting that abuses occur could be damaging to the group and to AA as a whole. Better to sweep any embarrassing facts under the rug and pretend everything is hunky dory. "Local groups can be relied upon to take care of any problems." I have heard this from current AA members too many times to count.
Yet many newcomers are nevertheless routinely targeted for exploitation by predatory AA members.
Obviously, leaving protection of newcomers in the hands of the local groups is not working very well.
Other non-profit organizations have been held accountable for exploitation within their ranks, but for some reason AA doesn't think it should have to adhere to the same standards as other organizations. Alcoholics Anonymous has been getting away with it for 80 years now, and is unlikely to change in the near future.
When enough law suits have been filed against the AA organization and AA affiliated businesses, those in charge will undoubtedly see the light. But who knows how long it will take, or how many young people will be abused by older members in the meantime?
frame from my short video Slipping Down in AA
of the possibility of molestation and abuse. These concerned members and ex members have offered suggestions for how this could easily be done, for instance, via the same kind of printed pamphlets currently used to attract young people to AA. So far, all requests have been ignored or dismissed as an "outside issue", and current AA members insist that it should be left up to the individual groups
to protect newcomers from exploitation.
Please explain to me how predation at meetings is an "outside issue".
The GSO's attitude towards exploitation mirrors AA's attitude towards court mandates: "We can't
be held accountable, we aren't responsible". I went into this is more detail in my 12 Stepping the Judge and Promotion not Attraction blog posts.
The Big Book and the original AA literature insist that AA is intended only for the willing, but the pamphlets and later printed material contradict this basic tenet of AA. The GSO claims that many unwilling newcomers eventually saw the light and went on to live sober, productive lives.be held accountable, we aren't responsible". I went into this is more detail in my 12 Stepping the Judge and Promotion not Attraction blog posts.
AA wants to be available to all who might benefit from the program, regardless of how angry, hateful,
fearful, unwilling, or criminal they might be.
a way as to make AA seem much safer than it actually is. Yes, there are "Young People's" groups,
but I have yet to hear of one that doesn't invite older members to attend as well.
Women make up about a third of the fellowship, and I'm sure that's very reassuring for anyone considering allowing their teen to join AA. Most of the sexual predation, from what I've seen and heard, is committed by male members and court ordered hangers-on, but females can certainly
be equally predatory. One of the more scandalous incidences of molestation recently in the news involved an adult female AA member and the underage friends of her teenage daughter.
all of these types of exploitation are extremely common in AA. There is no outside agency to turn to when a member has been victimized, as there would be in the case of a mental health clinic or other supervised support group.
You might encounter doctors, lawyers, artists and students at any particular AA meeting, but you might also encounter court-ordered habitual drunk drivers, spouse beaters, child molesters, and other violent criminals sent to AA by the judge. AA does not reveal this fact in any of their introductory pamphlets, or anywhere in any of the literature that I have read to date.
Fair enough, I guess, if an AA meeting were a safe haven for minors. But AA isn't safe, not for kids.
Anyone with a drinking problem is welcome, regardless of how criminal or dangerous they might be.
Anyone with a drinking problem is welcome, regardless of how criminal or dangerous they might be.
Members of local AA groups have no real power to stop exploitation, and don't like to hear about it.
There are no standard rules for behavior, no procedures in place for dealing with abuse, and there is no one in charge at the local level.
Many current members deny that 13 stepping and other abuses happen in their own groups. Experienced AA members often advise the newcomer to "find their own part in it" if they are abused, and even discourage placing the blame on the predator.
These attitudes often apply to any problem with another AA member.
The most important thing, the first of the 12 traditions, is to protect AA at all costs.
Printing a pamphlet to warn newcomers of possible dangers might diminish public support of AA.
Admitting that abuses occur could be damaging to the group and to AA as a whole. Better to sweep any embarrassing facts under the rug and pretend everything is hunky dory. "Local groups can be relied upon to take care of any problems." I have heard this from current AA members too many times to count.
Yet many newcomers are nevertheless routinely targeted for exploitation by predatory AA members.
Obviously, leaving protection of newcomers in the hands of the local groups is not working very well.
from The 12 Traditions Illustrated
Other non-profit organizations have been held accountable for exploitation within their ranks, but for some reason AA doesn't think it should have to adhere to the same standards as other organizations. Alcoholics Anonymous has been getting away with it for 80 years now, and is unlikely to change in the near future.
When enough law suits have been filed against the AA organization and AA affiliated businesses, those in charge will undoubtedly see the light. But who knows how long it will take, or how many young people will be abused by older members in the meantime?
You have to hand it to the GSO, though. AA really knows how to pack 'em in!
These pictures are from the pamphlets, Too Young, What Happened to Joe, and The 12 Traditions Illustrated, unless labeled otherwise.
The cartoon pamphlets are available for download on the GSO website.
I've taken a few snippets and used them here for educational purposes under the provision for fair use included in the Copyright Act.
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