All Survivors are welcome here!
SSAA welcomes every survivor regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other background or belief. No matter what your experience looks like, you belong here.
 
We know it's easy to minimize your own pain, but your journey is unique and valid. Trauma affects everyone differently, and there's no room for comparison here. SSAA aims to be safe and supportive and is committed to providing a judgment-free space where survivors can find support, understanding, and healing. Your pain is real, your story matters, and you belong here. 

SSAA Meeting Structure
 
Our SSAA meetings provide a structured, safe and supportive environment for survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Here's what you can expect. Our meetings are autonomous of one another and decide their preferences and solve their differences via group conscience and in business meetings, "placing principles before personalities".
 
Meeting Formats
- Guided by SSAA's 12 Steps, Traditions, and Promises
- Each meeting follows an agreed-upon meeting script to ensure consistency and safety
- Meetings may either have SSAA literature readings and/or generally include survivor share sessions
 
Sharing and Support
- Timed sharing opportunities for survivors
- Supportive listening from fellow survivors
- Crosstalk Guidelines combined with . . .
- Brief, empathetic responses allowed with sharer's consent (see SSAA guidelines)
​
Meeting Types (formats)
- Step work focus
- Open sharing
- Speaker meetings
- Book club discussions
​
Meeting Closing
- Each meeting ends with our closing script, 12 Promises, and the Serenity Prayer
 
Our goal is to create a healing space where all survivors feel heard, supported, and empowered on their recovery journey. This may or may not be a good fit for all survivors. We encourage you to attend meetings to decide if they fit what you need on your path to healing.

SSAA is an evolving, volunteer-led peer-support group focused on recovery and healing from sexual trauma. We utilize an adapted framework of the 12 Steps, 12 Traditions, and 12 Promises, drawing from established programs like Alcoholics Anonymous (©1935), Sexual Abuse Anonymous (©1978), and Survivors of Incest Anonymous (©1982). Originally starting as SASA (©2010) in a small church in Austin, TX, SSAA transitioned to online meetings during the pandemic to continue supporting survivors worldwide.

Mission Statement: SSAA aims to create emotionally safe environments globally where survivors can heal from the effects of sexual assault, abuse, and exploitation. We operate on principles of trauma-informed peer support and our 12-step recovery program. We welcome everyone over 18, regardless of race, age, sexual orientation, nationality, religion, or gender identity. Our goal is to foster a community where every individual feels seen, heard, and valued.

Yes.
 
Our meetings are virtual, which means you can join from anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection and Zoom. We also encourage experienced SSAA members to start a meeting (either virtual or in-person) local to their area and time zones (Click here) to learn more about how to start a meeting).

 
Expanding Our Reach: Languages and Meeting Formats
 
SSAA is committed to supporting survivors worldwide, though our current meetings are conducted virtually and in English only. We recognize the need for diverse language options and in-person connections. That's why we encourage our experienced members to consider starting meetings in their native languages or local communities. This initiative not only broadens our support network but also aligns with a core principle of our recovery process: being of service to fellow survivors. By helping others, whether through starting new meetings, mentoring newcomers, or other forms of service, members often find additional healing for themselves. If you're interested in initiating a meeting in another language or in your local area, please reach out to our volunteer coordinators. Together, we can expand SSAA's reach and provide support to more survivors, regardless of language or location.
 

At this time, in order to attend your first SSAA meeting, we ask that you please register to Join, A volunteer will contact you to schedule a newcomer orientation, conducted either in both group virtual meetings and one-on-one virtual appointment (dependent upon the volunteers' availability and meeting policies).This orientation is designed to help us welcome you and provide a clear understanding of what to expect in our meetings. After you've attended the orientation via Zoom and confirmed your agreement with our group guidelines, we'll share the meeting access details (link and password) with you. SSAA offers several virtual meetings each week to support survivors on their healing journey from sexual abuse or assault. While in-person meetings are currently paused, we encourage experienced members to consider  start local meetings in their communities.​ 

Our goal is simply to provide a safe and supportive virtual platform for survivors as we grow. At this time, there is not yet and we are working on implementing a 7th tradition practice. Since we are a newly developing fellowship, there is no required cost associated with attending online SSAA meetings. 

SSAA is a volunteer-led program and any survivors that can be of service or volunteer are greatly appreciated!
Until a 7th tradition is in place, we do invite members that regularly attend for some time to be of service in our meetings when ready and willing. We also welcome survivors with experience in the program to assist us in our efforts to expand by starting a new meeting in their local areas.

At this time, since we are a growing fellowship we only provide online meetings. We offer a range of meeting formats to serve the different needs and preferences of SSAA members.
Visit our Meeting Formats Page to learn more about each of the following meetings we offer at this time:

• 12-Step Study Meetings

• Book Club

• Personal Story (Speaker) Meetings

• Open Topic Meetings

Survivors are welcome to join any and all of these meetings according to their needs and availability. 

SSAA takes privacy and anonymity very seriously. At this time, all meetings are conducted anonymously (on Zoom) and we employ a newcomer orientation process to vet incoming members.
We also encourage our newcomers to use their first names only, or at their own discretion, use an anonymous email, contact information, and/or alias in addition to removing your last name from user IDs displayed in Zoom meetings and Wire group chats.

• ​You may adjust your virtual meeting display name on www.zoom.us in your personal account's profile settings, or rename yourself upon joining in the Zoom meeting itself.

• Reach out to one of our meeting volunteers if help you with this process if you need assistance.

• When signing up for the Wire group chat:

  • Send or receive a request to connect with an SSAA volunteer via their @username

  • Then you'll be added to our anonymous and encrypted wire group chat(s)

  • Public and private chats with members of SSAA are available on the Wire platform

No. If you’re new, you might feel some encouragement to share, but remember, it is perfectly okay to simply listen. Each meeting is a space of understanding and growth, where you can absorb the experiences of others at your own pace and comfort level. If you find yourself in a sharing moment but don’t feel quite ready, feel free to "pass" either verbally aloud or in the Zoom chat. This is a respectful and accepted option that allows you to participate without the pressure to share personal experiences.

SSAA has established a policy that restricts attendance to those who have not willingly committed sexual abuse or assault. The group's primary focus is to provide support exclusively for survivors who have experienced victimization. While SSAA does not pass judgment on individuals, the organization's scope does not extend to addressing issues or inquiries related to perpetration

SSAA is dedicated to providing a safe environment for survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Our meetings are not open to individuals who have knowingly committed sexual assault or abuse. We recognize the complex nature of trauma and that some survivors may have engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior, especially as children, as a result of their own experiences. Such actions do not automatically disqualify someone from participating in our group.If you're uncertain about your eligibility or past actions, we encourage you to speak confidentially with an SSAA representative. While we do not condemn anyone, our primary focus is supporting victims of sexual violence. For those seeking help with perpetration issues, we offer resources for alternative programs better suited to address those specific needs (see a statistical study by Cambridge by clicking here).


This guideline aims to maintain a safe space for survivors while acknowledging the complexities of trauma and providing clear direction for those who may be unsure of their eligibility.

​No, belief in a higher power is not a prerequisite for participating in SSAA. Our program is centered around spiritual growth rather than religious beliefs, and individuals can engage in our meetings and benefit from our program regardless of their views on a higher power. The 12-step framework we utilize does reference a 'Higher Power of our own understanding', but this phrase is intentionally flexible. Each participant is encouraged to interpret what 'a power greater than themselves' means on a personal level. This could take the form of various concepts that inspire hope and strength, such as the community of support, the wisdom of nature, a deity, the universe, love, or even one's own inner strength and resilience apart from self-will. We honor and embrace all belief systems, recognizing that each survivor’s path to healing is uniquely theirs. Our primary mission is to foster a caring environment where survivors can connect, share experiences, heal, and grow together.

If you find that your memories of the abuse or assault are unclear, incomplete, or even missing, please know that you are not alone, and you are welcome to join SSAA. It is a common experience for survivors of sexual assault and abuse to encounter memory gaps or periods of "amnesia" in relation to traumatic events. This response is a natural protective mechanism of the mind in the aftermath of trauma. Many survivors discover that as they progress in their healing journey, fragments of these buried memories may gradually surface. We encourage you to seek support during this process, as it can be very helpful to share your experiences with others who understand. Here at SSAA, we create a safe and supportive environment where your personal history is respected, regardless of how much clarity or completeness your memories contain. Everyone’s journey through trauma and healing is unique, though we may share similar effects from our experiences. What truly matters is that you are taking important steps towards your recovery. You have the option to participate in our meetings and share only what you feel comfortable discussing, whether that's a lot or a little. Remember, your healing journey is valid, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

This is entirely up to the participant. Some survivors find regular attendance beneficial, while others prefer to join as and when they feel the need and desire to process the effects of sexual trauma. Where most 12-step programs encourage regular and consistent attendance, we encourage participants to attend when they feel it will benefit their own personal recovery and encourage "gentleness breaks" whenever necessary.

We invite members to connect with other survivors in meetings and the Wire group chats and engage in fellowship to co-create "co-sponsorship" groups or pairs (click here to learn more!). These groups (typically 2-5 survivors) meet at their convenience to support one another in the trauma recovery process and explore a more in-depth study of SSAA's 12 steps, traditions, or promises.

Click here to learn more about getting involved SSAA service as a trusted volunteer. There are so many ways our group benefits from the heart-felt, collaborative efforts of its survivors. From meeting service roles to working on various committees behind the scenes, you can contribute to SSAA's mission to help countless survivors (that includes you!).