Women Facing Abuse and Harassment in Addiction Treatment

Across the nation, women seeking help for addiction are increasingly subjected to harassment and assault by individuals in authoritative roles. This widespread issue has earned the term “the 13th Step” within the industry, referring to the predatory behavior of certain professionals exploiting their position of power over vulnerable women.

Andrea, a survivor, described her experience as being highly vulnerable and falling into the trap of such misconduct. She explained that the term “13th-stepper” is used to describe those who take advantage of newcomers, often jokingly warning others to avoid becoming one.

In research conducted by Lauren Chooljian of New Hampshire Public Radio, attention was drawn to the state’s largest addiction treatment network, founded by Eric Spofford. Allegations surfaced that Spofford harassed patients, leading to intimidation and vandalism against investigative staff. Recently, Spofford was indicted on charges related to orchestrating these intimidation tactics.

Further investigations in California revealed a disturbing pattern of abuse and fraud. Chris Bathum, who operated multiple treatment centers, was implicated in sexually assaulting clients and defrauding insurance providers. The case was cracked open when two women collaborated to compile evidence, which they then delivered to authorities.

This summary updates episodes originally aired in February 2024, shedding light on a distressing problem within addiction treatment industries that demands ongoing attention and action.