It has been an amazing experience for me to see the Al-Anon fellowship grow and adapt over my years in the program. I am sure that our Cofounders, Lois W. and Anne B., never dreamed that Al-Anon’s hand of help and hope would one day reach all corners of the Earth as it has. Yet this reach is not without challenges and responsibilities.
It used to be simple to open an Al-Anon group: consider the day and time, find a place, determine rent, get the key, and GO! Safety for these meetings was obvious. The key secured the meeting room with our group supplies in it. We trusted group members to safeguard the location. There may have been an occasional concern about who entered the meeting, but we were reminded of Al-Anon’s purpose of welcoming anyone affected by someone else’s drinking.
Today, registered online and phone groups must consider safety in a totally different light. These meetings can be disrupted at any time by various forms of intrusion. Many people now are familiar with the term “Zoom-bombing,” but phone meetings, which have been registered since the mid-1990s, have also been disrupted or intruded upon due to a lack of understanding about how to safeguard against such behavior.
Today, Al-Anon meetings take place on over 25 different phone and online platforms. Some of these platforms support hybrid meetings—those that take place at a physical location but include an online component. But regardless of the platform, anyone affected by someone else’s drinking should feel welcome and safe to share in any Al-Anon meeting—safe that they can share anonymously, safe that they will be heard without judgment, and safe from intrusion and disruption.
Has your Al-Anon group had a discussion about safety? Do you know about the safety and security settings of the meeting platform? Can there be a business meeting discussion about the responsibility of those serving in safety positions? Bring your ideas to District and Area meetings and share this experience, strength, and hope. To start the conversation, it may be helpful to review the service tool Let’s Talk about Safety in Al-Anon Meetings! Go to al-anon.org/safety-pdf to download.
Remember, we do nothing alone in Al-Anon! Talking to each other and reasoning things out about safety can have worldwide significance. Let your ideas and voices be heard! The unity gained by sharing experiences is what leads to the creation of service tools and guidelines that support Al-Anon groups.
By Sue P., Associate Director—Group Services
Reprinted with permission of Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, VA.