New Hampshire Public Radio is releasing a new investigative podcast series called The 13th Step on June 6. The seven-part series focuses on the culture of sexual misconduct within the addiction treatment and recovery world. The story revolves around Eric Spofford, the founder of a prominent addiction treatment network, who is accused of sexually harassing or assaulting women, including former clients and employees of his own centers. These allegations shed light on a larger issue of sexual misconduct within the addiction treatment industry.
Investigative reporter Lauren Chooljian embarked on a journey to uncover how Spofford managed to evade accountability and discovered a deeply entrenched culture of sexual misconduct known as “the 13th step.” The podcast also explores the risks faced by journalists and their sources when exposing wrongdoing by powerful individuals.
The 13th Step is produced by the Document team at New Hampshire Public Radio and received support from the Fund for Investigative Journalism.
