Survivors of Incest Anonymous is a twelve-step self-help recovery program for survivors of child sexual abuse. We define incest very broadly. There are no dues or fees. Survivors of Incest Anonymous provides support groups, literature, pen pals, bulletings, and speakers. For more information on SIA as a whole, check out the World Service Office and other information below. 12 Steps of SIA 12 Traditions of SIA SIA Definition of Incest SIA Def. of Ritual Abuse SIA World Service Office Please email us with any questions, or call 510-387-4657! "In SIA we share our experiences and common feelings. We realize that we felt we had to protect our caretakers from this horrible secret, as if they were not participants. We felt alienated from the non-abusive family members. Often, greater anger is directed toward them since it is safer to get angry at people we perceive to be powerless. We became caretakers in order to maintain an image of a nurturing family. Our feelings of betrayal by our families are immeasurable. We need to mourn the death of the ideal family that many of us created in our own imaginations. "In dealing with this pain, it feels as if we are pulling the scab off a wound that never healed properly, and it hurts. However, it is easier to cry when we have friends who are not afraid of our tears. We CAN be comforted - that is why we are here. Our pain is no longer in vain. We will never forget, but we can, in time, end the regretting that accompanies destructive remembering. We can learn, One Day at a Time, that we are incest SURVIVORS, rather than incest victims." (From the SIA Welcome) Local Meetings: Mondays: Palo Alto: Step Study/Meditation Meeting, 2nd & 4th Mondays, at 5:30 pm First Lutheran Church 600 Homer Ave & Webster, in Palo Alto (map) San Jose: "Nothing Too Heavy to Share" meeting 7:00 pm Willow Glen Baptist Church 1292 Minnesota and Hicks (map) Tuesdays: Davis: 317 East 8th Street 95616, women's meeting, pro-survivors welcome, please call Andrea at 530-304-2576 for time and to confirm location! Wednesdays: Oakland: "Nothing too Heavy to Share" meeting, 6:00-7:30 pm Kaiser's Fabiola Building, 3701 Howe Street, Room G-70 (take the elevator down one floor, turn right, go all the way down the hall) map (that address is out of date, use this one) Sundays: Santa Cruz: 7:30 pm Survivors Healing Center 2301 Mission St Ste #1 (map) There are also Online Meetings!