The 13th Step

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The 13th Step

An investigation into the widespread culture of sexual misconduct and abuse persistent in the addiction treatment industry.

  1. SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Trailer: The 13th Step

    The 13th Step is a podcast from New Hampshire Public Radio, coming June 6th.

    5 min

  2. 06/06/2023

    1: The Shadow

    What is “the 13th step,” and why does it matter? It all starts with understanding what it’s like to be in the earliest days of recovery. We meet two women who say they were harassed during early recovery. And we meet the man who allegedly harassed them – the founder of New Hampshire’s largest addiction treatment network.

    35 min

  3. 06/06/2023

    2: The God of Recovery

    As Eric Spofford tells it, he spent his teen years in the throes of addiction and crime. When he got sober, he became a crusader for recovery. We hear how he built his company – and his power. And we hear allegations that he abused that power by sexually assaulting members of his own staff.

    50 min

  4. 06/06/2023

    3: Just the Beginning

    In March of 2022, Lauren publishes her first story detailing allegations against Eric Spofford. The events of the next several months illustrate the ways powerful, wealthy people can intimidate sources and try to stop journalism from happening. And then, there was the vandalism…

    55 min

  5. 06/06/2023

    4: A Wild (Wild?) West

    How did 13th stepping become so common in the recovery world and who can hold people accountable? Lauren looks into the history of the addiction treatment industry; goes in search of the people, government agencies, and industry groups that are supposed to oversee it; and does a deep dive into its most pervasive cultural force: AA and the 12 steps. She finds a lot of good intentions, alongside a lot of problems.

    52 min

  6. 06/06/2023

    5: The Litter Police

    What does it take to catch a predator in the addiction treatment industry? We hear about a case in California where the CEO of a network of treatment facilities was convicted of sexual assault and massive insurance fraud. It required years of work – and two women who banded together and refused to give up.

    58 min

  7. 06/06/2023

    6: The Glam Room

    Since Lauren began reporting, Eric Spofford sold his New Hampshire company for millions of dollars and filed a defamation lawsuit in response to NHPR’s coverage. We catch you up on everything that’s happened. And we introduce you to a sober living community where addressing women’s sexual trauma is a priority.

    35 min

  8. 06/06/2023

    Epilogue: Employee A

    A conversation with one of the women whose story of sexual assault you heard earlier in this podcast. She talks with Lauren about what it was like to hear her story published, the legal threats she has faced from Eric Spofford and his lawyers, and why she decided to speak out in the first place.

    23 min
See All Season 1 (14)

Trailer

About

An investigation into the widespread culture of sexual misconduct and abuse persistent in the addiction treatment industry.

Information

  • Channel
    NHPR
  • Creator
    NHPR
  • Episodes
    14
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © New Hampshire Public Radio
  • Show Website
    The 13th Step

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