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Many people who come to this website are struggling with some aspect of sexual behavior that could be called addictive, compulsive, obsessive, dependent, or otherwise out-of-control (all various ways of saying basically the same thing, which is that a person is powerless over some aspect of his or her sexual behavior and that his or her life has become unmanageable).
The definition of what constitutes sexual “sobriety” is not the same among the five different fellowships. Knowing these differences can be helpful in deciding which fellowship best suits the individual needs of each person seeking sexual recovery. There are at least five different 12-Step fellowships that address a person’s sexual behavior. They are all based on the original 12-step fellowship, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). From the time of its founding in the 1930’s. A.A. has been so successful in helping people recover from alcohol dependence that its format has been adapted to many other behaviors. Several different fellowships for achieving sexual sobriety originated in different parts of the country within a few years of each other.
SCA states that: “Members are encouraged to develop their own sexual recovery plan, and to define sexual sobriety for themselves. We are not here to repress our God-given sexuality, but to learn how to express it in ways that will not make unreasonable demands on our time and energy, place us in legal jeopardy — or endanger our mental, physical or spiritual health.”
Although the SCA fellowship originally sought to address issues of sexual compulsion among gay and bisexual men, it has always been open to all sexual genders and orientations, and there is an increasing number of women and heterosexual men participating.
(posted from the SCA Atlanta’s website: https://atlantasexaddicts.com/gasca)
October 1, 2025 marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of SCA meetings in Toronto.
The Toronto group has decided to celebrate this occasion by going out for dinner and having a cake for dessert after their regular 6:30 p.m. meeting on Friday, November 7, 2025.
Anyone who has attended an SCA meeting in Toronto in the past is welcome to join this celebration. Please RSVP by October 31st at scatoronto@hotmail.com if you plan to attend. We hope to see as many members as possible there!
To mark this occasion, the group will also be publishing an updated summary history of SCA’s presence in Toronto, expanding on the original version that was submitted to ISO and published on the SCAnner in October, 2015.
Happy Anniversary Toronto!
Update from Sharon S., ISO Chair:
In April we convened ISO’s Annual Conference in St. Louis — in person for the first time since 2019! We also welcomed folks from around the world via Zoom. A huge thanks to the planning committee for hosting a great meeting!
ISO’s Annual Conference is our fellowship’s business meeting, where we share how and what SCA meetings and intergroups are doing across the world. We talk about how best to reach newcomers and support members. We note our progress and challenge ourselves to do more.
It was fantastic to be together in person this year! I’ve been on many of Zoom calls with SCA Executive Committee members and fellows I feel quite connected to that I have never actually been in the same room with. Meeting in person strengthened our relationships and deepened trust.
Here are some meeting highlights from our three-day conference:
New Characteristic about sexual anorexia
One of the most significant decisions made at this year’s ISO was to add a new Characteristic about sexual anorexia/avoidance to The Characteristics Most of Us Seem to Have in Common. You can read the history of this decision in the minutes. Here is the new characteristic:
We were sexually anorexic: in despair about our lack of physical and emotional intimacy with ourselves and others, yet unaware of how much we feared and avoided it.
SCA has a YouTube Channel
Gary S. and his Outreach team built a SCA YouTube Channel in 2024! Check it out to see the great content they’re creating and be sure to subscribe! (https://www.youtube.com/@SCA-Recovery)
Audio Recovery Book in development
Gordon B., our Fiduciary Chair, is working to create an audio version of SCA’s Recovery Book that will be available for purchase on Amazon. We’ll keep you posted.
Executive Board Elections
Gary S. was reelected for a two-year term as Outreach Chair
Randy S. was elected as Director at Large, stepping in for Charles D. who resigned the position earlier this year. Thank you, Charles, for your service!
Tami V. was reelected for another one-year term as Outside Director
I was elected for a two-year term as ISO Chair
Emphasis on our 7th Tradition
We budgeted $4,000 for the 2025 ISO Annual Conference, and I’m happy to report that we came in under budget at $3,053!
ISO’s modest budget supports meetings, our website, literature creation and translation, and outreach to newcomers. As we built our 2026 budget, we reflected on the importance of our 7th tradition — that SCA is self-supporting through the contributions of its members. Your gifts help meetings buy literature, rent meeting space, and sponsor workshops. ISO receives a portion of the contributions you make to your meetings and intergroups. Please consider chipping in when you attend a meeting — your donations are vital in helping us reach the still-suffering addict.
If you’d like to read the Minutes from the Conference, contact the SCAnner editor. A Special thanks to Recording Secretary Maranda T. for her efforts!
Thanks to the efforts of Gordon B., Gary S., Robert A., and Brian V., SCA has reached out in new ways to hundreds of individuals in the addiction community trying to help those that may be suffering from SCBD (Sexual Compulsive Behavior Disorder).
SCA presented it’s first ever workshop and meeting at the AA Florida Roundup in Ft. Lauderdale. The session focused on the Characteristics – which were somewhat unfamiliar to many of the attendees – and the Tools of Recovery. At the same time across the country in Phoenix, AZ, SCA was a first time exhibitor at the annual IITAP (International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals) Symposium. This event was well attended by the most influential therapists and treatment facilities in this field. Most of those that stopped by our both were not familiar with SCA and this was a great opportunity to enlighten them of all the good work that we do. Those that knew of us, said that they refer many of their clients to our meetings and were happy to see us at this event.
We hope that SCA’s outreach will help grow our program, and in doing so will help our members recovery.
“I am hopping and trying to find meetings with open communication. This will only help me with my own Honesty, Shame, Trust, Hope, Strength & Willingness to Learns and to Stay & Remain OPEN Always .. Please 🙏 Any HELP IS & Will be Appreciated” – D.W.
