I can only speak to my own experience with this. I went and I could have choked every person in the AA meeting. Now let me qualify that. My ex went because he was in hot water with the law. He did it to make himself look good. As the heat became less so did his meeting attendence.
Being the little helper that I was, I offered to go with him, I di this in an attempt to manipulate his efforts to keep going.
Well, he said OK as he had a distant court appearance and he knew he better go to look legit.
I went. It was a crowded room. Lots of coffee. The meeting came to order and a man got up to speak. He told his story and people applauded all along the way.
He said he drank, cheated countless times, lied to his wife, hit his wife, took money from her purse, he got an STD and didn't tell his wife. He left her high and dry with their kids and ran off with a bar girl. He stayed with her until she had him arrested for assault. Well the sory went on and on, he talked about how he made his mother cry. I was FUMING! I thought, Hey buddy! you just casually metnioned about 15 people you devastated and now people are applauding you?
I was young, I was niave, I was not in my own recovery. I think about that meeting once in a while and I now realzie that it's their meeting. Th eonly thing worse than hearing that story was not hearing it. I think it's best to leave that space for them. If my presence there made anyone uncomfortable, I'd feel terrible.
I think you have to be along in your own recovery to benefit from going.