Do Something

Support Women Against Abuse

Women Against Abuse provides quality, compassionate, and nonjudgmental services for persons experiencing intimate partner violence and is working to end domestic violence through advocacy and community education. Learn more about them and support their mission here.

Connect WITH OUR SOCIAL ACTION TEAM



Read More

Domestic Violence Resources

Please call 911 if you are in immediate danger. 

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 800.799.SAFE (7233)

Healthy Minds Philly Domestic Violence Resources

For crisis intervention, safety planning, resources, and referrals, Philadelphia has a citywide, 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-866-723-3014. All calls are free, confidential, and anonymous. Translation services are also available. Get more details about the hotline here

Philadelphia also has an Office of Domestic Violence Strategies, which lists a variety of safety and support services for individuals in need of help or who are trying to help someone else.

Be a better Philadelphia Citizen

Here's how

One of the founding tenets of The Philadelphia Citizen is to get people the resources they need to become better, more engaged citizens of their city.

We hope to do that in our Good Citizenship Toolkit, which includes a host of ways to get involved in Philadelphia — whether you want to contact your City Councilmember about ensuring the safety of women and families, get those experiencing homelessness the goods they need, or simply go out to dinner somewhere where you know your money is going toward a greater good.

Find an issue that’s important to you in the list below, and get started on your journey of A-plus citizenship.

Vote and strengthen democracy

Stand up for marginalized communities

Create a cleaner, greener Philadelphia

Help our local youth and schools succeed

Support local businesses

Guest Commentary

Fight Misogyny, Keep Your Neighbors Safe

Women Against Abuse’s executive director on what we all can do to protect women — and men — from domestic violence amidst the Trump-era surge in disturbing and dangerous rhetoric

Guest Commentary

Fight Misogyny, Keep Your Neighbors Safe

Women Against Abuse’s executive director on what we all can do to protect women — and men — from domestic violence amidst the Trump-era surge in disturbing and dangerous rhetoric

We at Women Against Abuse are saddened by the surge in violent, misogynistic, and racist rhetoric flooding social media since the most recent presidential election. Many people with hidden prejudices have become emboldened by the return of a president who frequently disparages women and immigrants, and faces numerous accusations of sexual misconduct and assault.

Statements like “Your body, My choice” that garner millions of views perpetuate a dangerous culture that condones violence against women. If left unchecked, this rhetoric could undo decades of progress in the movement to end domestic violence.

While intimate partner violence affects everyone, statistics show it disproportionately impacts women and the transgender and immigrant communities. Last year, nearly 96 percent of the almost 10,000 callers to the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline identified as women. More than half of transgender individuals experience violence from intimate partners. And abuse rates among immigrant women are almost three times the national average.

The toxic masculinity that’s skyrocketed since the election fosters a societal culture where admitting abuse is seen as shameful, especially for survivors who face additional stigmas. How many men feel comfortable stepping into the spotlight as victims? How many transgender people are willing to risk further marginalization, especially when their rights are already under threat?

Joanna Otero-Cruz, executive director of Women Against Abuse.
Joanna Otero-Cruz, executive director of Women Against Abuse.

Recent threats of mass deportations mean that people experiencing domestic violence who are undocumented are afraid to reach out for help. Instead, they must choose between risking deportation or staying in a life-threatening situation with an abusive partner. When leaders use dehumanizing words to describe our immigrant, migrant and temporary resident community members, it incites racist, xenophobic treatment of an already marginalized people. It also has implications for public safety by dissuading immigrant victims of crime from testifying in court or alerting law enforcement.

This violent rhetoric fuels the nation’s entrenched patriarchy and racism and perpetuates a cycle of harm. Tangible harm. The sort that makes perpetrators of abuse feel entitled to threaten their partners, devastate families, and wreak havoc on entire neighborhoods.

It takes all of us

Despite these challenges, the movement to end domestic violence — one that began half a century ago — remains strong. The founders of this movement were volunteers, social workers and emergency room nurses who, after treating countless victims, recognized the need for safe interventions. Fifty years later, this grassroots initiative has expanded into a nationwide network of nearly 2,000 programs, serving nearly 80,000 individuals annually.

Here in Philadelphia, Women Against Abuse served 12,000 people last year through a wide range of services. We operate some of the city’s only interventions for those experiencing relationship abuse, including the only emergency shelters for survivors of any gender identity and their children who must flee their homes for safety. Our 30+ member legal team are experts in their field and get results for clients seeking legal protection from abuse.

We are working alongside city systems, law enforcement and victim and immigration service providers to address intimate partner violence early and effectively. We are educating young people on how to recognize warning signs of abuse and pursue healthy relationships. We are saving lives and making Philadelphia safer for everyone.

But we cannot do this alone.

So I ask you — every person reading this — to stand with us. Together, let’s raise our voices and harness our collective power for good. It doesn’t matter who you voted for. It’s up to all of us to push back when confronted with harmful misogynistic comments. So next time, say something. Make it clear that you won’t tolerate such rhetoric. By doing so, you’ll create a safe space for others who may be too afraid to speak up.

Do it for the women in your life — your wife, your girlfriend, your daughter, your niece, your granddaughter.

Do it for the men in your life who may be embarrassed to admit they’re being abused.

Do it for your LGBTQ+ family members.

Do it for your undocumented neighbors.

Do it for the young people in your life who are navigating their first relationships.

Do it for the future of our country.


Joanna Otero-Cruz is the Executive Director and President of Women Against Abuse, Philadelphia’s leading domestic violence service provider and one of the largest in the nation. Women Against Abuse served more than 12,000 people last year through emergency shelter, legal aid, transitional housing, hotline counseling, and community education and advocacy. Learn more at womenagainstabuse.org.

The Citizen welcomes guest commentary from community members who represent that it is their own work and their own opinion based on true facts that they know firsthand.

MORE ADVOCACY FOR WOMEN

Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash

Advertising Terms

We do not accept political ads, issue advocacy ads, ads containing expletives, ads featuring photos of children without documented right of use, ads paid for by PACs, and other content deemed to be partisan or misaligned with our mission. The Philadelphia Citizen is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan organization and all affiliate content will be nonpartisan in nature. Advertisements are approved fully at The Citizen's discretion. Advertisements and sponsorships have different tax-deductible eligibility. For questions or clarification on these conditions, please contact Director of Sales & Philanthropy Kristin Long at [email protected] or call (609)-602-0145.