Proposed by: Jim R, Lisa M, Staci, Wendy, Boaz, Rene, and Vivienne

Issue:
Trusted Servants who serve as Breakout Room Hosts and Newcomer Greeters must be empowered to act confidently, in accordance with group conscience guidelines, when confronted with aggressive or bullying behavior. Training and documentation should explicitly affirm their right to self-care and group care, including taking necessary action against harassment and bullying.

We move that the training for Breakout Room Hosts and Newcomer Greeters would emphasize their right to self-care and the importance of maintaining a safe group environment; providing clear guidelines on how to handle harassment and bullying, including immediate response actions; and that these guidelines would apply to business meeting chairs and anyone in a facilitative role in service to SMR.

Background:
This is why action is necessary: Volunteers have been bullied, which undermines recovery of individuals and the group, so the behavior cannot be tolerated. Suggested guidelines and empowering responses for Trusted Servants to repeated aggressive behavior:

1. Trusted Servants experiencing aggressive or bullying direct (chat) messages could respond with a message like: “I am focused on my service, please do not contact me now.”
2. If abuse continues, Trusted Servants have the following options:
   – Removal of the offender from the breakout room and meeting, (this prevents their return for 24 hours)
   – Public acknowledgment of abuse at an appropriate time – directly after the meeting, at a business meeting, at service support sessions. Sharing the inappropriate messages exposes the behavior.
3. Documentation of harassment by copying the chat using Zoom’s “copy chat” feature, taking screenshots, or using a smartphone camera.

By reinforcing these principles in training and documentation, the ACA Strengthening My Recovery Trusted Servants will feel more confident in their roles, ensuring a safer and more supportive meeting environment for all participants.

References:
Tradition 1: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on ACA unity.
Tradition 5: Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the adult child who still suffers.
Bill of Rights:
– (1) I have the right to say no.
– (5) I have the right to detach from anyone in whose company I feel humiliated or manipulated.
– (15) I have the right to ask for what I want.
– (18) I have the right to be my True Self.
Affirmations:
– (2) It is okay to trust myself.
– (5) It is okay to say no without feeling guilty.
– (6) It is okay to give myself a break.
Additional Safety Resources:
ACA Morning Website: Personal Safety Suggestions and Addressing Harassing Behavior