User:Jmckeon ie/svav/Selected victims' advocate/3

Survivors of Incest Anonymous (SIA) is a twelve-step fellowship for recovery from consequences of childhood sexual abuse. SIA was founded during 1982 in Baltimore, Maryland by women who believed their experience in other twelve-step fellowships (Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA) and Al-Anon) could assist in recovery form sexual trauma. In SIA incest is defined broadly as any sexual behavior imposed on one person by a member of his or her immediate or extended family. The extended family, in this definition, includes but is not limited to: grandparents, uncles, aunts, in-laws, cousins, family friends, and stepparents. The abuse may include verbal and physical behaviors; penetration is not necessary for meeting SIA's definition on incest.

In 1987 SIA merged with Sexual Abuse Anonymous headquartered in Long Beach, California.

In addition to open, mixed gender meetings, SIA designates many meetings as "women only" or "men only." Most SIA groups are not open to those perpetrators of sexual abuse, although it is not an uncommon behavior among those who have been victims of sexual abuse. Meetings that allow perpetrators state this clearly at the beginning of the meeting, and will not allow those who are currently perpetrating sexual abuse to attend.