13th step

English

Noun

13th step (uncountable)

1. (euphemistic) the targeting of 12-step addiction recovery newcomers for romantic or sexual relationships.
   • 1996, Wallace, David Foster, Infinite Jest‎:

     In Boston AA, newcomer-seducing is called 13th-Stepping and is regarded as the province of true bottom-feeders.

   • 2017 November 6, Charlie Gardner, Always Remember This Moment‎:

     He was known around the recovery rooms as a perineal “13th stepper” which meant he hit on every woman that came into the rooms

   • 2023, “'The 13th step' investigates sexual misconduct in New Hampshire's addiction centers”, in Montana Public Radio‎:

     […] I started asking literally anyone that would pick up the phone with me, you know, have you heard of the 13th step? And it turns out a lot of people had.

Derived terms

• 13th stepper
• 13th stepping