Demands for obedience
Rigid rules, an insistence that one group has all the answers, or pressure to follow a leader.
EXPOSE COERCION. DEMAND ACCOUNTABILITY.
Midtown is a
destructive cult.
The Midtown AA group is a destructive cult that has been operating outside of Washington, DC for decades. Currently, it is a constellation of AA meetings in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Recognize the control. Question the demands. Make your own choices.
Know the warning signs.
Identify coercion, isolation, humiliation, and threats for leaving.
02 / CHALLENGE THE CLAIMSQuestion the rules.
Challenge demands for obedience. Read the original myth-versus-reality guide.
03 / GET INFORMEDPut knowledge to work.
Read and share resources on coercive groups and recovery from abuse.
NEW COMMENTARY · OCTOBER 23, 2026
Midtown’s abuse allegations demand answers
The Carr headline has renewed attention to Midtown. Keep the reported abuse and the people describing it at the center.
Read the new storyWe expose coercive practices in Midtown and other high-control AA groups, preserve the accounts of people who have been harmed, and make the reporting accessible. We stand for recovery, personal autonomy, and accountability.
Our blog is a great place to share your experiences, stories, and thoughts. We encourage you to participate and be part of our community.
Read the accounts. Follow the sources. Share what you know. Challenge any demand that you surrender your judgment, boundaries, or relationships to a group.
The opening description restores the site’s original statement, last edited September 2024. View the archived homepage ↗
RECOGNIZE COERCIVE CONTROL
Name the warning signs.
Isolation from others
Discouragement from seeing family, friends, or people outside the group.
Fear of leaving
Shame or fear around changing sponsors, asking questions, or leaving a meeting.
ACCOUNTS THAT DESERVE TO BE HEARD
Read what people have reported.
SAFETY GUIDE01
Warning signs of predatory behavior in recovery
Recognize coercion, protect your boundaries, and get support. No one earns access to your body or your private life by helping you get sober.
SAFETY & ACCOUNTABILITY02
Predators in 12-step meetings: groups must act
When help becomes leverage, a recovery group must respond. RECO’s warning about exploitation is a call for clear boundaries and meaningful protection.
FROM THE ARCHIVE03
Stop defending a group by dismissing reports of harm
The original 2023 response to Midtown’s online defenders, with a renewed demand to address specific allegations.