Dear Essay readers,

I was asked to introduce this special edition, as I had the wonderful privilege to chair last May’s worldwide online event “Supporting Women in SA.” You may have wondered why it is necessary to support women in SA or thought it is an outside issue or a controversial topic. Well, then this issue of Essay is for you. After reading the articles, you might well have other thoughts, opinions, feelings, and even maybe questions …

You might try to imagine how recovery might have looked if you were a man and called the SA phone line but instead of a man answering the phone, a woman was on the other end of the line. You had to tell her about your addictive patterns. The meeting available to you was all women and you would be the only man there. The women declined to give you their phone number because you had to call another male fellow when triggered and you should find a male sponsor, even if there was no other male in your country or speaking the same language.

This is still often what women encounter when coming to SA. It takes character and persistence to break through these barriers to recovery. This issue contains brave stories about overcoming these challenges, including having to wait a long time for another woman to come into the local fellowship. You will also find female old-timer stories, accounts about the history of women in SA, the recovery story of a woman in prison, practical tools, and befitting SA literature. It also contains encouraging accounts of men who have welcomed women and helped them onto the lifeboat.

I hope you enjoy spending extended time with this edition.