The Twelve Traditions of SCA are a set of principles, followed by SCA members, groups, and service bodies, that make possible our collective recovery from sexual compulsion. They provide a spiritual framework that safeguards our common welfare and allows SCA to fulfill its primary purpose: of carrying the message of recovery to the sexual compulsive who still suffers. SCA’s Traditions derive from the original Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, which were adopted in 1950.
- Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon SCA unity.
- For our group purpose there is but one authority — a loving God as may be expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
- The only requirement for SCA membership is a desire to stop having compulsive sex.
- Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting other groups or SCA as a whole.
- Each group has but one primary purpose — to carry its message to the sexual compulsive who still suffers.
- An SCA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the SCA name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
- Every SCA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
- Sexual Compulsives Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
- SCA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
- SCA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the SCA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
- Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, television and films.
- Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.