On January 7, 1986, SA came to Wichita, Kansas, with the first meeting of several people in St. Luke’s Church. It was a very small beginning but profound because Wichita would never be the same city again. A few people hurt badly enough in their own addiction to gather together to “spit in the soup” of sexaholics in the metropolitan Wichita area.
In July 1985, a 12-Step meeting for sex addiction started in Pittsburgh as an outgrowth of group counseling sessions. All the members had to go on was the pamphlet AA 12 Steps and 12 Traditions. In December of that year, members found out there was a national organization called Sexaholics Anonymous, contacted SA for information and literature, and joined SA in March of 1986.
In the five-plus years that SA has existed in Toronto, we have received numerous requests to be involved in radio or television programs. With careful attention to the SA position papers on media publicity, we have always declined. In January 1996, our group agreed to take part in a TV program. This decision, however, gave rise to many questions and concerns within the fellowship, which led to a review of the decision in a group conscience meeting. We would like to share with you what happened and how we resolved it.
The Oversight Assembly wishes to express its deep and heartfelt gratitude to Marsha F. Her tireless efforts on behalf of the SA Corrections Committee have been successful and worthwhile. Marsha energetically discharged her duties and helped preside over a surge in requests for literature from “the inside.” We thank you for service well done.
The new service committee structure calls for four non-sexaholic trustees, or “Overseers,” who will serve with the five elected sexaholic members who together will constitute the Oversight Committee. This procedure follows closely the example of the AA General Service Board comprising both alcoholic and non-alcoholic trustees.
This issue of the Essay is being sent to everyone on the SA mailing list, as an exception to the usual practice of sending to subscribers only. It was decided that it is in the best interest of the Fellowship that the largest possible number of members be made aware of the historic changes in the SA service structure (see “SA Fellowship ‘Comes of Age’ at Phoenix Conference” for a detailed report) and have a chance to respond to the Literature Committee’s “Call for Member Stories.” In addition, we hope to generate interest in the newsletter and encourage subscriptions.
Sexaholics Anonymous observed a major milestone in the convocation of the first Oversight Assembly on Friday, January 12, 1996. In attendance, were SA members with at least three years of sobriety, elected, or drawn, from the eight geographical regions: Northwest, Southwest, North-Midwest, South-Midwest, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, and International. Mike B., chair of the Service Structure Committee, provided the guiding hand in opening the meeting and providing continuity to this historic event.
My name is Dave and I’m a sexaholic. In discussing Working Paper #1 (“Practical Guidelines for Group Recovery”) with my group and with other sober members, I kept coming back to the most positive experience in my early sobriety, which represents for me a model of what a group should be. I would like to share it with the fellowship. I believe this was a gift directly from God to me.
When I used to nourish lust thoughts, there was something going on inside me we might call spiritual fornication. Within my spirit I was shutting God out in rebellion, perverting the reality of the lust object to suit my sick need, (splitting myself to create and then imagine that inner partner,) and then having sex with her, which was really having sex with myself. My soul is fornicating whenever it turns from God as Source of life to the substitute (Augustine).
Jim P. of North Hollywood, CA died on January 18, 1996, after having lived for over three years in a new and joyous life of sobriety and freedom.
