We’re here to help. 24/7.
Contact us for free, confidential support at any time, 365 days a year. We are always here for you.
A safer Philadelphia, for better tomorrows.
For 50 years, WOAR – Philadelphia Center Against Sexual Violence has provided an empathetic ear, a caring heart and a helping hand to anyone who has experienced sexual violence recently, or at any time in their life. Each year, we helped thousands of survivors of sexual violence in Philadelphia through our hotline and in-person support and advocacy.
WOAR is here for survivors of sexual harassment, abuse, and assault because generous donors, like you, made it possible. Generosity gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others. WOAR is here because you make it possible!
Please stand with us by making a donation to WOAR.
Get the support you need.
WOAR offers crisis support and resources for specific communities. Find guidance to get the help you
need, or discover resources to help someone in need of crisis support.
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Help for LGBTQIA+ victims/survivors
of sexual assault. It can get better.
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Learn about sexual violence among
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You are not alone.
We’ve been there.
“When I was put in a fight or flight situation, I did neither. I froze. And I want to make it clear to other survivors that froze, you made it out alive. Your body protected you the best it could. You did everything right, and now you are a survivor. A SURVIVOR. Also, survivors of this kind of trauma should always remember it is never your fault. You did not choose this – no matter what people say or don’t say.”
Isabella, Survivor and Volunteer
Healthy relationships are built on mutual respect. Your boundaries deserve to be heard, honored, and supported—not challenged or ignored. Setting boundaries is an important part of protecting your well-being and fostering relationships grounded in trust, respect, and care.
Innovation without accountability can reproduce harm.” — Ruha Benjamin
Pennsylvania’s response to AI-generated sexual abuse and exploitation continues evolving as lawmakers work to modernize protections for children and survivors.
From Act 125 to Senate Bill 1050 and House Bill 2474, bipartisan efforts across both chambers have helped recognize an urgent reality: AI-generated abuse causes real harm, and Pennsylvania’s laws and response systems must continue adapting alongside rapidly changing technology.
WOAR appreciates the lawmakers who have helped advance this work, including:
Senators Tracy Pennycuick, Scott Martin, Lisa Baker, and James Malone
Representatives Nikki Rivera and Kristin Marcell
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, please call WOAR`s 24/7 Hotline 215-985-3333. Trained, trauma-informed advocates are available around the clock to offer confidential support and connect you with the resources you need.
We want to hire YOU now! 💜 WOAR is growing our team and looking for a **Counselor** and a **Clinical Director** to join us in supporting survivors of sexual violence in Philadelphia. If you`re passionate about trauma-informed care and making a real difference, we`d love to hear from you.
For more details and to apply: WOAR.org/Join-Our-Team
Yesterday, Quinn represented WOAR at the National Night Out community event at The Home Depot on Castor Avenue, connecting with neighbors, families, and local law enforcement. It was a wonderful opportunity to share resources, answer questions, and raise awareness about the support and services available to survivors of sexual violence.
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, and to the organizers for bringing the community together for an evening focused on building stronger, safer neighborhoods. Together, we can create communities where everyone feels supported, heard, and empowered.
Not all of WOAR’s work happens in public spaces. Every day, our team is out in the community educating, collaborating, advocating, and supporting survivors.
Recently, WOAR advocated for a budget increase for all PA rape crisis centers in Harrisburg, provided a full-day anti-sexual harassment training with the Outward Bound School, joined the Women’s Law Project for a lunch and learn on restorative justice, and connected with community members at a local @artphilly2026 event at Louis Bluver Theatre at The Drake.
WOAR continued this work through a collaborative retreat at La Salle University focused on preventing campus sexual violence, restorative justice meetings with participants, and a panel on elder sexual abuse with the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.
This is what prevention, education, advocacy, and survivor support looks like in action — steady, daily, community-centered work that helps build a safer Philadelphia for everyone.
🚨 WE ARE HIRING! 🚨 WOAR is looking to fill two important roles: Counselor and Clinical Director. Join a team dedicated to trauma-informed, survivor-centered care in Philadelphia. Help us continue this vital work —Apply Today!
For more details and to apply: LinkedIn.com/Jobs/View/4446875661 or WOAR.org/Join-Our-Team
Summer brings concerts, festivals, vacations, barbecues, pool parties, and time spent celebrating with friends and family. No matter the setting, consent should always be part of the plan.
Consent is clear, voluntary, informed, and ongoing. It cannot be assumed because someone is flirting, wearing revealing clothing, in a relationship, or has consented before. A person can change their mind at any time, and silence or a lack of resistance is not consent.
Alcohol or drugs never excuse ignoring someone’s boundaries, and a person who is incapacitated cannot consent.
Check in. Listen. Respect the answer. Look out for one another and help create summer celebrations where everyone feels safe and respected. Learn more at https://pcar.org/consent
WOAR’s free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day every day of the year at 215.985.3333 (text or call).
Grooming can look like attention before it becomes control.
It may start with compliments, gifts, promises, rides, money, housing, friendship, romance, or someone offering help when a person is struggling. Over time, that “help” can turn into pressure, isolation, threats, manipulation, and exploitation.
As Councilmember Dr. Nina Ahmad recently noted, trafficking does not always begin with a dramatic abduction. It often begins with trust.
And it can happen to anyone — at any age, income level, education level, job, or background. Traffickers look for vulnerability, trust, and opportunity.
Understanding grooming helps us recognize exploitation sooner, support survivors without judgment, and protect people before harm escalates.
July is Disability Pride Month—a time to celebrate the strength, identity, contributions, and diversity of people with disabilities while continuing to challenge ableism and barriers to inclusion.
Survivors with disabilities may face additional obstacles when seeking help, including inaccessible services, communication barriers, dependence on caregivers, discrimination, and not being believed.
Every survivor deserves support that is accessible, respectful, affirming, and centered on their choices. Disability does not diminish a person’s right to safety, bodily autonomy, dignity, or justice.
This month and throughout the year, we remain committed to listening to disabled survivors, respecting their autonomy, and helping create communities where everyone can access the care and support they need.
WOAR’s free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day at 215.985.3333 (text or call).
WOAR is looking for a Clinical Director to join our team!
We`re seeking a skilled and compassionate professional to provide leadership for our clinical services and support the dedicated staff delivering trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual violence across Philadelphia.
In this role, the Clinical Director will oversee our counseling programs while offering clinical guidance, supervision, and strategic leadership to ensure survivors receive exceptional care.
If you`re passionate about survivor-centered services, collaborative leadership, and making a lasting impact, we`d love to hear from you.
Learn more and apply: https://www.woar.org/join-our-team/
Please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with your network as we search for an outstanding candidate.
Today, Pennsylvania made a historic investment in survivors, and Philadelphia’s leaders helped make it possible.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has signed the 2026–27 state budget into law, securing a $12 million increase for rape crisis programs across the Commonwealth.
For WOAR, this funding will help strengthen the counseling, hotline, medical advocacy, legal support and prevention services that survivors and families across Philadelphia rely on every day. It will also help us retain experienced advocates, rebuild capacity and respond to the growing needs of our community.
For years, survivors, advocates, staff, volunteers and community partners raised their voices. You shared your stories, contacted lawmakers, attended meetings and rallies, and made clear that Philadelphia’s survivors deserve a strong and sustainable system of support.
Your advocacy led to action.
We are deeply grateful to Philadelphia’s state legislators who listened, stood with survivors and supported this critical investment. We also thank Gov. Shapiro and members of the Pennsylvania House and Senate for recognizing the essential role rape crisis centers play in public safety, healing and justice.
This is a turning point for WOAR and rape crisis centers across Pennsylvania. The work continues, but today we celebrate what survivors and advocates made possible.
Philadelphia spoke. Survivors were heard. Pennsylvania acted.
#PhiladelphiaSurvivors #SupportSurvivors #PennsylvaniaBudget #RapeCrisisServices #WOAR
July is also Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to recognize the mental health needs and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other communities of color.
Survivors of sexual violence may face additional barriers to seeking support, including stigma, discrimination, cultural expectations, financial obstacles, and a lack of providers who understand their lived experiences.
Healing should be accessible, affirming, culturally responsive, and centered on each survivor’s choices. This month, we honor Bebe Moore Campbell’s legacy by continuing to challenge stigma, expand access to care, and create spaces where every survivor feels heard, respected, and supported.
WOAR’s free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day at 215.985.3333 (text or call).
