Opinions on the effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous are mixed. Although many people swear that AA helped saved their lives, others say that the nature of the meetings themselves – the abstinence-only philosophy, the fact that the moderators usually aren’t trained in counseling or psychology – means that it can help people who are already dedicated to remaining sober, but it doesn’t necessarily cause sobriety. You might be thinking that any help is better than no help, and while that’s generally true, there have been some alarming instances of predatory behavior at AA meetings that might make you rethink, if not whether to go, at least where you go.
Consider the case of Karla Mendez Brada, a 31-year-old woman who was murdered by a man named Eric Earle, whom she met in AA. Participation in the group was mandatory as part of her stay in a treatment facility, and she met Earle on the bus on the way to a meeting. It turned out that Earle had been attending AA meetings for 20 years, although he never stopped drinking. Although at that time he was required to attend by the ministry at the sober house where he was staying, Earle mainly went to meetings as a social activity, and he had in fact found romantic partners there many times over the years. A month before her murder, Karla was violently beaten by Earle, and although he was arrested, she later bailed him out. About a month after this incident, Karla died as a result of having been beaten and strangled by Earle. It’s unclear whether anyone at the AA meetings knew what was happening, but they were at least aware of the relationship and failed to express any concerns about two people attending AA dating.
The big problem here is that attendance at AA meetings is frequently ordered by courts, employers, and other programs, so some of the people there have no real interest in getting sober. Also, as a result of court-mandated meetings, you end up with hardened felons in a room full of otherwise innocent, defenseless people. It’s true that everyone deserves a second chance and that AA could potentially turn offenders’ lives around, but at what cost?
There’s no easy answer here. One solution might be for women to attend women-only meetings, although there aren’t enough of them in existence right now for this to be a real solution. Another possibility is only mandating attendance for people who have been arrested for DUI and other non-violent crimes and finding other solutions for people with a history of violence or sexual assault.
AA has released a statement, called Safety and AA: Our Common Welfare, in which it listed proper standards of behavior and what constitutes matters of concern, and suggested that these matters be brought to the attention of the group. It also made it clear that reporting any threatening or criminal behavior to the proper authorities is not a violation of anonymity.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
