Women In Transition (WIT) empowers people to move forward in their lives free of domestic violence (DV) and substance abuse.
We offer free and confidential services in Philadelphia: telephone and crisis counseling, peer support groups, individual empowerment counseling, client advocacy and referrals, community education trainings, and WAVE empowerment self-defense classes. WIT was founded in 1971.
Our services are available for people of any gender identity and sexual orientation, ages 14 and older.
Contact our LifeLine at (215)751-1111 or witservices@helpwomen.org for support, resources, advocacy, safety planning, and education about domestic violence and substance abuse. Click here for more info about our LifeLine.
Women In Transition is not a shelter. If you are in crisis, call the toll-free 24-hr Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline at (866)723-3014.
Our Mission
Women In Transition empowers people with the knowledge, support, and ability to thrive beyond domestic abuse/intimate partner violence and substance abuse.
Vision Statement
We envision a world where people are free to pursue safety, healthy relationships, and supportive communities.
Our Herstory
WIT began as a feminist collective in West Philadelphia in 1971, with two full-time staff members, a budget of $20,000, and a host of volunteers. The women’s movement was just getting underway. WIT was founded as a place where women who needed information and support to navigate life-changing transitions such as divorce or separation could turn for help finding divorce lawyers, job information, housing information, peer support, access to community resources, and counseling.
The growing recognition that many women were seeking divorce because of “wife abuse” led WIT to offer counseling services specifically for battered women. Over the years, WIT became a leader in the violence against women movement.
WIT facilitated Philadelphia's first Domestic Violence Summit in 2003, bringing together various agencies in a collaboration to ensure that women experiencing domestic violence and their children receive coordinated services from the systems that impact their lives.
WIT initiated the creation of the Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline Collaboration, leading the city’s four domestic violence programs in providing a 24-hour bilingual hotline.
WIT was also on the forefront of recognizing the linkages between domestic violence and substance abuse, and we developed and continue to offer services for individuals experiencing domestic violence, substance abuse, or both.
Our Stories
Click here to learn about the people who come through our doors, and the impact Women In Transition makes in their lives.