Questions (not) accepted for conference 2016 (contd)

Comment: AA currently has no effective method for dealing with any form of bullying, sexual harassment etc (online or otherwise) within the fellowship. It does propose guidelines (16, 17) and therefore can be said to have a policy in place … but implementation is patchy. In some areas sexual predation (so-called '13 stepping') may be described as virtually endemic, and shockingly blatant in some instances. Some of the accounts that have been relayed to us almost defy belief. Of similar concern, and far more widespread, is the virtual 'institutionalisation' of bullying and coercion practised predominantly by cult groups under the guise of sponsorship. This has been extensively documented on the aacultwatch website. Here the programme is no longer disseminated as “suggested” but rather as compulsory, and the edicts of the 'sponsor' to be taken as absolute. Any recourse for those so abused is effectively non-existent. They either tolerate it (and in some instances become perpetrators themselves), leave AA or find some kind of refuge in the wider fellowship where such perversions are largely absent.

However recently, when looking into the background of a question submitted to conference (and rejected), we stumbled upon this little gem:

The General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous (Great Britain) Ltd is a registered charity. Its objective is “TO HELP CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS TO OVERCOME THEIR ADDICTION TO ALCOHOL AND TO SERVE THE FELLOWSHIP KNOWN AS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS IN SUCH OF ITS WORK OF ASSISTING ALCOHOLICS TO ACHIEVE SOBRIETY.” and it acts “AS AN UMBRELLA OR RESOURCE BODY”. Under the terms of its registration the charity ie. the General Service Board, is required to report any serious incidents including “fraud, theft or other significant loss” and “suspicions, allegations or incidents of abuse of vulnerable beneficiaries “ (in this case AA members) to the Charity Commission. Failure to do so may lead to regulatory action for mismanagement.

Following on from above (and in the absence of any formal complaints procedure within AA) we would advise anyone who has been the subject of any kind of abuse (or indeed is a witness to such acts) to make a formal complaint via the General Service Office (whose email address is: gso@alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk - using perhaps the heading “Attn: General Service Board”). The latter are then obliged to report this to the Charity Commission. Although no kind of effective response may be expected from the General Service Office or the Board Itself a sufficient number of complaints forwarded in this fashion may serve to place pressure on the GSB (and on AA) to take these matters far more seriously, and institute some real reforms (ie. effective action) to deal with these widespread abuses.

Additionally there is also provision on the Charity Commission site for members of the public (including, obviously, AA members) to make a complaint directly to the Commission itself. Again this may serve ultimately to focus the fellowship's concentration on the pressing need to carry out substantial reforms. Failure to do so can only lead, in the long run, to the progressive demise of AA in Great Britain, and the loss of a valuable resource for dealing with chronic alcohol addiction.

But most importantly ... for the newcomer .. there is no longer any need to suffer in silence. Make your voice heard! And help create a healthier environment in which members can flourish rather than flounder!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Needless to say we shall be using both of the above procedures in future, and (we anticipate) with increasing frequency. Moreover when contacting the General Service Board we will take care to remind them of their obligation to submit an additional report to the Charity Commission in each instance. We will also be carrying out checks to ensure they do so....