FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

HOW DOES SAA WORK?

At the heart of the SAA program are The 12 Steps of SAA.
We also attend meetings, work with fellow addicts and support our fellow addicts in their recovery.

IS THE GOAL TO STOP ALL SEXUAL ACTIVITY?

No.
SAA has no specific definition of sexual sobriety.
We each seek our own healthy form of sexuality. Please read this entry on Abstinence in SAA for more details.

DO I HAVE TO SPEAK AT A MEETING?

No.
You are not required to speak.
We may ask you to introduce yourself by your first name but from that point forward, you are welcome to just listen.

IS WHAT I SHARE AT A MEETING KEPT SECRET?

Yes.
We practice anonymity and confidentiality, so that a meeting will be a safe place for each and every sex addict. We generally use only our first names in a meeting, to help ensure anonymity. Who we meet or what is said in a meeting is treated as confidential and is not discussed with non-group members.

ARE THERE ANY FEES?

No.
SAA is supported through voluntary contribu­tions from our members, however, there are no fees to join or to remain a member of SAA.

DO I NEED TO BE RELIGIOUS OR BELIEVE IN GOD TO BE A MEMBER OF SAA?

No.
While our program is of a spiritual nature, SAA is not affiliated with any specific religion, creed or dogma. SAA welcomes people of any re­ligious background, as well as atheists and agnostics. All are welcome. If you don’t believe in a God or a Higher Power, and are questioning if SAA is a good fit for you, we recommend reading these SAA pamphlets: What If I Don’t Believe in “God”? and Personal Spirituality in SAA.

WILL I BE WELCOME IN SAA AS A WOMAN?

Yes.
Our fellowship is open to men and women. Please read this SAA pamphlet for more details: A Special Welcome to the Woman Newcomer – From Other Women Members of SAA

WILL I BE WELCOME IN SAA AS A MEMBER OF THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY?

Yes.
We welcome members of any sexual identity or orientation, whether they are gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual, or transgender. Please read this SAA pamphlet for more details: SAA and the Lesbian / Gay / Bisexual / Transgender Sex Addict

I AM A NEWCOMER TO SAA. HOW DO I GET STARTED?

Firstly, welcome to SAA! We commend you on taking this step in your recovery journey. Please know that we have all been where you are now, so trust us when we say, we get it. We also know how overwhelming things can be at first, so we have developed a checklist to help you get started. Check out the For Newcomers section of our website.

HOW DO I ATTEND A MEETING?

Click here to find a meeting near you.

IS THERE LITERATURE I CAN READ THAT WILL HELP ME IN MY SAA JOURNEY?

Yes.
The SAA fellowship has some amazing literature resources available free of charge through the international SAA website. Please check out the resources section of our website.

I WOULD LIKE TO START A NEW SAA MEETING. HOW DO I DO THAT?

Firstly, thank you so much for your service and for helping us with our purpose of reaching the sex addict who still suffers! Please contact us, so that we can assist you with the creation of this new SAA meeting. We can then list the new meeting’s details in the Find a Meeting in SA section of our website and make sure that the new meeting is registered with both the international and South African SAA fellowships. We also recommend reading the SAA Group Guide, which is designed to give the basic information and materials needed to start and nurture an SAA meeting. It includes suggested meeting formats and a selection of readings that may be used, as deemed appropriate, by the new meeting.

If you have a question that isn’t answered on our website, please feel free to contact us.