User reviews

This film shows just a small glimpse of the true horrors behind a group that has been functioning on manipulation, fear, shame, and control since it's inception. There is so much more information out there about 12 step programs that will make you nauseous. Unfortunately this is just one manifestation of the harm AA has done and continues to do to our society. If you're reading negative comments about this piece, they are likely from people (or friends of people) that have been indoctrinated into the pseudoscience and and mythology of AA and the phony "disease model" of alcoholism coined by its main founder - Bill Wilson. Sadly, there is much much more work to be done here. If you are seeking substance abuse disorder treatment just know that there are AMPLE options for treatment that statistically work so much better than AA while not involving rape, fear mongering, manipulation, shame, and the like.

It is very telling how many 1-star reviews are on here from angry people in 12-step groups who are angry about a documentary that details the terrible things that CAN happen in 12-step groups. Do these things happen in every group? Of course not, but they do happen and I have been a member of 12-step groups with disgusting older men who pray upon new young members for monetary and sexual gain. Court systems should not force people into these programs because they are not fully safe. There is an expectation of safety that new people have in these programs and it can easily lead to manipulation and harm for new members.

The film itself does a good job in covering the topic. It is a good documentary and one that more people need to be aware of.

There's a reason the term 13th step exists-because it happens. The rape examples in the film are not as common as befriending an emotionally fragile woman, usually, and manipulating her into sex. Even 'taking someone's inventory' can be a form of emotional manipulation detrimental to all parties.

The issue, as I have come to understand addiction, is ego-primarily the deficiencies and perversions. If those issues are ignored or neglected while celebrating a lack of drinking (or whatever the purpose of the 12 step program), that individual will increasingly subject other members/attendees to that deficiency/perversion and every 'blind-eye' perpetuates the problem.

The value of AA, and all 12 step programs, is self-discovery and subsequently correction of 'these defects of character'; the fellowship, as a collective conscience, should discourage those expressions. Those people who aren't there for introspection need to be pointed out, singled out, and if necessary, driven out (regardless of the number on a chip) to make the program an environment of personal growth and development.

AA, more than any other institution, should recognize the value of, humility, self-effacement, confession and continuous reflection on behavior. This film is necessary.

This is my second review of The 13th Step and it is more response to those attacking the film than actual review. My purpose is to give context to why some of these reviews say the film is dangerously inaccurate and others say it is one of the most truthful and relevant films of today. Thus, what I'm going to do is to ask readers of the reviews to think about the larger claims of those who are critical of AA in comparison to those that insist that criticizing AA is something close to blasphemy.

No religious group is without problems of exploitation of some of its members. AA for tax as well as legal purposes is a religious group, even though members will insist it is "spiritual and not religious. This is because a Higher Power is necessary and this Higher Power is supposed to receive prayers from AA members, even if atheists can substitute the group of AA for God (or any other seemingly bizarre object). I would argue that this substitution is, itself, a hallmark of cults since it puts the group of AA above absolutely everything else when AA itself becomes a Higher Power. However, the key point here is that because AA has a standard and recommended practice of prayer and subordination of personal will to either a deity or to the group of AA that it is functionally religious, regardless of whether members insist that it is merely "spiritual." Thus, the allegations of sexual and other exploitation that are growing in number against AA and other 12 Step groups need to be seen in the context of similar allegations against religions and religious cults.

For example, the religion of the Catholic Church has had problems with Priests sexually abusing young boys. Many argue that the reason the Catholic Church has had sexual abuse problems is because of its attitude towards adult sexuality. Catholic doctrine says that most forms of sex are immoral so there isn't that much of a difference between raping children and consensual sex between adults who aren't married. What made this even more of a problem was that Catholics wanted to believe that their religious beliefs didn't contribute to the abuse of boys and that the benefits of the religion outweighed the problem of sexually abusing children. Thus, there was the desire to keep the problem quiet. Of course, eventually the supposed benefits of keeping the abuse quiet were eventually outweighed by the need to protect young boys who were being abused by their own Priests. I think the abuse in AA, especially the sexual abuse, follows a similar pattern to the earlier reaction to Priests abusing young boys.

The appropriate reaction to abuse within a culture or a religion (and I would argue that AA is both) is to try and correct the abuse and help the victims. The response of the typical active AA member to allegations of abuse within AA (especially allegations of victimization) is to blame the victim and say that the victim provoked any abuse that might have occurred.

Thus, the reaction of active AA is more of a cause for concern than even the allegations. If a group/religion/ denies abuse and attacks those that point to problems, it would seem to ensure their status as a cult. This is where the Catholic Church is healthier than a cult and also healthier than AA. Eventually, the Catholic Church did address is problems of exploitation and took responsibility for trying to solve the problem, rather than saying it was an isolated incident that had nothing to do with the Catholic Church as a whole.

Now, turning the abuse found in religious cults, the initial reaction is the same as the initial reaction of the Catholic Church, but the difference is that the cult will continue its abusive practices after at least some allegations have been proved and continue to insist that those that claim abuse have no right to claim it. Thus, if one is looking for an example of sexual and emotional exploitation and abuse associated with religious cults, FLDS comes most to mind to here. Both FLDS and the Catholic Church have had allegations of sexual abuse and both have been proved to be well-founded. The Catholic Church, however, is working on addressing the problem of abuse, but FLDS sees their abusive beliefs (such as forced child marriage) as something that doesn't need to be changed.

While, of course, AA is not identical to either the Catholic Church or FLDS, it does share many traits, particularly that of allegations of abuse.

What we, as citizens of the world, have learned is that allegations of abuse against a religious or a quasi-religious group need to be taken seriously because there is a foundation for these claims and they are not born out of the air.

Thus, AA becomes a cult not just in the fact that it seems to foster abuse of a various types, including the more well-known sexual abuse that the title of the film references, but because active AA members will viciously make personal attacks against those that try to bring this abuse to the attention of the public.

Yes, all groups can have problems with abuse, but it is only a very dangerous group that blames the victim who has been abused by the group. This is why I argue that AA isn't just a religion or quasi- religion, but should be understood as one of the more dangerous cults of our time. This is also why I argue that the 13th Step is one of the most important films of today.

I am more than a little familiar with Monica Richardson and her life- long compulsion to demonize A.A.. Problem is she wishes to paint the picture that A.A. somehow has a magical monopoly on con artists and sexual criminals while the rest of the world wanders about with rainbows and unicorns in complete safety.

There were women in the film who came forward and talked about the traumatic sexual assaults they endured as a result of relationships they formed in AA. It is, of course, always upsetting to hear about the level of sickness that has run amok in the world that lurk behind unsuspecting corners. And while there is a general hope that AA will be a safe place for people much like riding the bus, going to a bar or dating online, you just don't know who you are talking to. There are no regulations about who attends AA, which is part of the reason it has worked so well for so many years.

While I am glad the film sheds light on this important issue and hopefully inspires people to be cautious, AA is all open to all who seek it as a place to find sobriety, not physical protection from the public.

There also was, at a time, several low budget interviews available on the internet in which Ms Richardson can be heard sounding anything but professional in her childish snickering about A.A. in general and the people in it. But of course, with her shiny new production out those had to be eradicated save her reputation.

Monica hates A.A., and can only garner an audience with others who do as well.

Monica relies on the fact that most people know little or nothing about the inter workings of an A.A. fellowship and uses this to fan flames were none need be. She relies on the most fundamental quick-to-judge aspects of human nature that is easy to cultivate in the ignorant.

If there is any one observation Ms Richardson even gets half right, it's her observation that many criminal courts sentence criminals to A.A. at everyone else's risk, and it's a bad idea. I agree with this. Again, the problem is she blames A.A. for this. A.A. is not any kind of law making legislative body and doesn't control this process. A.A., under the law, must comply. She might have suggested some kind of process for protesting and thus changing the court's mind, where the responsibility actually lies, but that wouldn't be any fun, would it?

Her well polished production is a non-truth and a highly slanted and even mean-spirited message for those with a taste for blood. Nothing more

This movie shed light on the problems in AA, giving people a legitimate warning that they may not get in meetings. I wasn't sure what to expect; demonizing of AA or complete denial of problems tend to be the 2 extremes I hear from people in real life. But the producer of the film seemed to deeply and genuinely care about presenting the subjects in a truthful and palatable manner. As someone who'd been to countless AA meetings I could relate and stand by everything presented. It's clear she did a lot of research for the film as well and I think the factual information lends a lot of credibility to the narrative. You can also learn about other resources for people who want to get help in this film, and I see that as a testament to the motives behind making it.

When bringing up concerns, I felt deeply disappointed at the way people respond within AA. I am glad to see someone cared enough to do something about it.

Initially I thought the filmmaker was going to expose the fact that offenders whose crimes have nothing to do with alcohol and/or addiction are being court-ordered into AA. That is definitely disturbing and worth talking about. But that was only discussed briefly, and the rest of the film went off on several different tangents about isolated incidents of people disillusioned with AA, or others who doubt the disease model of addiction and have their own ideas about it. Those are just opinions however, and opinions are not facts. As with ANY place in society where people gather, there will be bad apples, people who are not genuine or have bad intentions. Meeting someone you later find out is sick, dangerous, or god-forbid ends up harming you is not exclusive to AA, nor is it result of AA not policing its rooms. AA is a confidential self help program for people who suffer from addiction and want help to stop abusing drugs and alcohol. As it is based on anonymity, there are no records kept, and there is no vetting system. Could a violent criminal be there? Absolutely. There could also be one sitting next to you at a coffee shop. Is the ideology that the program is based on for everyone? No. Are people bitter when they don't like the things they hear in the program, and/or because they don't recover or simply have a bad experience? Absolutely. Could they have other problems that have nothing to do with AA? Yes. Has this program helped thousands upon thousands of people recover? Yes. Unfortunately addiction brings some dark experiences and behaviors along with it, and yes, sometimes that carries over in to the rooms. I feel for the mother whose daughter was killed. That is indeed tragic, and it is terrible if her killer was sent to AA by the court instead of to jail. I understand being angry and wanting to lash out, but AA is not the cause. The filmmaker should have stuck to exposing the injustice of sending the criminals in to the rooms, and of the lack of proper vetting for substance abuse counselors, rather than finding a handful of people to bash AA and shape her narrative. Once again, these are opinions and isolated incidences, and are not indicative of the program as a whole.

One of the most provocative documentaries I've ever seen. I had no idea any of this stuff went on! The courts are sending violent criminals (including known sex offenders!) to AA meetings, and the people attending the meetings (many of whom are young and very vulnerable) aren't aware who they are standing next to! Women are being raped and murdered! The leadership structure of AA needs some serious reform. I have read some of the other reviews on various sites about this film, and one thing all the reviews reveal: this film and the issues it brings to light are polarizing. Any organization (even one founded with the intention to help and heal) is not going to be for everyone, but the deleterious (and in some cases, deadly) effects of miscommunication between AA participants and our courts is reprehensible.

These poor people. One persons incredibly biased view of an system that's helped millions of people and kept them alive. It's very clear that she has a vendetta and that the whole thing is completely biased. Every single person interviewed thinks that AA is the worst thing in the world. The people in this film are so gullible that they would have been victim to scammers no matter where they are, yet they blame aa. There are bad people everywhere and in every walk and section of life. Surprise!

Well done! I've not yet seen this many reviews ever, where it was either a 1 or a 10, no in between!

All (1)star reviews= AA members who were of the lucky and are protecting their tribe.

All (10)star reviews= Non AA members/X-AA members who now can see a new truth.

Monica Richardson, you did/had excellent research, groundwork, experts, pioneers, guests, examples etc and a pretty handy cameraman (lol) thank you for bringing this to the light! You knew you were broaching a subject that would have them firing back at you and you're passionate and you persevered. BRAVO!

I was first introduced to AA in 1991 and many times since, I've seen, heard, felt all the things contained herein. I've disliked AA dogma and "old" rules/brainwashing ways of doing things for decades; finally a film that concisely puts into words my very thoughts, gives incidences of abuse and the bonus is the pioneers and experts in several other fields of recovery with proven options that are more up to date and have much higher success rates than AA does these days. Granted in the "olden" days when AA was the only option, their success rate was higher, but that is changing.

**Review not meant to offend AA members, I have several very good freinds with alot of time under their belt, they are of the lucky...if you are as well, congrats; but AA needs a serious overhaul and restructure IMHO.

This is propaganda from a few families and a director who just needed a hot subject. Nothing about the film is representative of any meeting I have ever attended. I have 30 years clean and sober. AA saved my life.Gullible people can get duped, attacked, raped etc, in any environment they put themselves in. It isn't AA's fault. These are all isolated incidents condemning a program that saved millions of people. It's about building relationships and learning how to make friends. It isn't about dating. If that is why these people went there, then bad on them. AA is a microcosm of real life. There will be weirdos there. There will be weirdos at the supermarket, in your high school and college classes, at work etc. Just don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Let's interview everyone who was raped. What percentage would be from AA meetings? Probably less than 1%. Maybe we should close bars. Many more rape scenarios begin in a barroom than an AA room! This film is a load of crap.

I've been to meetings in a great many towns and states and have never seen anything like this whatsoever. If you are waiting for AA to respond to this, then you will be greatly disappointed. While Monica was busy making this tabloid documentary, Bill W. was saving lives.

This film is made up of a lot of people that play the victim, and point to everyone else as the problem without looking at themselves. Their are rapists, child molesters, and murders everywhere in the world. Their are millions of people in Alcoholics Anonymous. Every once in awhile you're going to get one in the rooms, most of the time it is because of a court order. I would have given this film 2 out of 10 stars if it could have stuck to the point of keeping these type of people out of meetings, but instead it goes much deeper, trashing AA and NA and having people commentate that clearly have deep rooted issues, have been misguided, and are basically still blind and couldn't grasp the spiritual part of the program. It seems like each of these people had a bad experience in AA and are blaming AA as a whole, some of them have even gone on to make their own organizations for a profit.

One of the interviews was with a kid, that did a research project on alcohol being a disease in high school. I feel like I don't need to say anymore. AA has saved millions and will continue to do so. It should have been more about why do potentially dangerous criminal get ordered to AA, when they don't issues with substances. Transparent Propaganda.

The 13th Step Review

Myth: People assume AA is a safe and regulated environment.

This myth is perpetuated by a Circulus in Probando fallacy: people assume AA is a safe and regulated environment because some people are court ordered into AA-based rehabs, and because judges make these decisions we are expected to believe that AA is safe and regulated.

Fact: There is no ethical oversight of AA groups. None. Not even from the AA Headquarters where Monica goes at the beginning of the movie. When someone who is naïve is court ordered to go to AA groups they will be surrounded by criminals. Karla Brada was murdered by a criminal who preyed on her in AA meetings, but AA has successfully deflected blame off of itself.

The movie The 13th Step doesn't pull any punches.

All of us have either been 13th Stepped, or know someone who tried to 13th Step us (I was, in two different cities), or know someone else who has been 13th Stepped. A woman in one rehab I was in to keep from being homeless (I was escaping an abusive marriage) told me how she was 13th stepped by her substance abuse counselor in Pennsylvania. She shoplifted (which was wrong of her) to get money for heroin. A judge ordered her to substance abuse counselling, and her SAC became her new dealer. He would give her a new baggie of heroin each day, and he knew she couldn't pay him back with money. I recount this because we all need to give examples like this in order to give The 13th Step movie more weight.

"spiritual, not religious" is the second-biggest lie in the Big Book. The 13th Step shows how people in AA pretend that anyone who is, in their eyes, successful in remaining abstinent is "touched by God" as one former AA member states when he confesses how he used to be a sexual predator in AA. Monica makes clear what is not clear to the general public: people get sent by judges into having to go to AA meetings where dangerous violent criminals are also sent to by judges. The fact that AA is religious devolves into the idea that someone who is not a violent criminal is not morally higher than a dangerous violent criminal who is always looking for victims. This means that criminals know that individuals who are more innocent than they are have no legal choice but to be in the criminals' proximity, and therefore criminals have new victims handed to them by courts of law.

Monica makes plain in The 13th Step that Alcoholics Anonymous strips away an individual's right to say "no". Predators know that potential victims cannot say "no" with impunity; this gives criminals every advantage over naïve individuals. The most insidious form of abuse is hurting while pretending to help.

Jim B. States what AA is afraid to state: most people in AA meetings are court-ordered, and this hands AA a psychological cudgel with which to beat newbies into submission. Victims are told that they are not allowed to have any secrets, and that any desire for privacy is from "your disease". This lets predators know that they can attack any vulnerable person with impunity, and AA will not report this to the judges who court ordered those predators because that would be AA admitting the problem.

Darlene Musarro states "my husband was charged as a sex offender" and managed to manipulate the court into ordering him to AA meetings despite the fact that he didn't drink. This is one of many examples of how criminals abuse the legal system into bringing them closer to victims.

I won't belabor the rest of the examples in The 13th Step. The 13th step shows how the legal system has been perverted in order to give criminals access to the very victims John Noland states the legal system should protect people from. Criminals know that potential victims can be lured into sexual situations they don't want; having sex with someone gives physical access that is out of ordinary social encounters. This movie shows how the 13th Step is often an avenue to higher steps of robbery, rape, and murder. We need to have more people watch The 13th Step.