Get Involved

Get Involved and Take Action Now to End Sexual Violence!

Get involved at WOAR and help us eliminate sexual violence in Philadelphia. Read on to learn about the many ways to get involved in the effort to end sexual violence. Please join us.

Share Your Story

WOAR is writing a report that sheds light on sexual violence against girls and young women in Philadelphia. We are collecting brief statements from survivors who identify as a female and experienced sexual assault before the age of 25. Through your story, you can make a difference by showing readers and policymakers the impact sexual violence has on real people. To participate, simply send us a few sentences that describe what happened, and the impact it had on your life. Statements can relate to any form of sexual violence, including groping, molestation, sexual harassment, rape, voyeurism, or anything else on the sexual violence continuum.

Click the button below to email your submissions, ask questions or schedule a time to talk by telephone. Your privacy is of the utmost importance, so no real names will be used in the report. If you decide to share your story, what you share with us is completely up to you, and your name will be kept confidential.

We appreciate your participation in this important project!

Vote in Every Election, Especially Your Local Elections.

One of the most important things you can do is vote in your local elections. Local politics directly affect your daily life because your local government is directly responsible for serving your community. When you vote, you’re not just electing government officials. You and your fellow voters are expressing your needs, preferences, satisfaction, and dissatisfaction. Voting is the primary language of our democracy and one of the main tools people have to communicate how they wish to be governed. Who voters decide to put in office reflects the issues they care about, their commitment to developing solutions for pressing societal problems, and how they would like their tax dollars spent. Through voting, people can make their collective voice strong enough to force democracy to listen.

Voice your position. Government officials act on behalf of the people in the communities they represent, the people who elected them. Even if your government official does not currently support your position, contacting them and voicing your concerns is a good way to put your issue on their radar screen. Letters and faxes are an extremely effective way of communicating with your elected officials. Many elected officials believe that a letter represents not only the position of the writer but also many other constituents who did not take the time to write. Contacting your government officials is the best way to ensure they understand how their decisions impact the people in the communities they represent back home.

To find out who your elected officials are:

  • Click here for the U.S. Senators
  • Click here for members of the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Click here for the Pennsylvania General Assembly
  • Click here for Philadelphia City Council

Sign Up for Action Alerts

Sign up to receive Action Alert emails from WOAR. We’ll let you know when important changes to the law are being considered and what you can do to make sure your voice is heard. We promise not to flood your inbox. We’ll only reach out when we need you most.

Become a Public Survivor-Advocate

Some survivors choose to use the power of their voices and personal story to send a message about how sexual violence impacts lives. Through our Survivor Academy and Speakers’ Bureau, WOAR offers training to survivors who want to develop their advocacy skills and speak out publicly. If you are interested, please click the button below to contact us and express your interest.

Volunteer

If you want to become a trained volunteer sexual assault counselor and volunteer on our 24/7 hotline, our dedicated team could always use the help!

Donate

WOAR depends on the generous support of people like you to fund our advocacy work. You can donate any amount by clicking the button below. Thank you!