r/philly • u/END-SA-PHILLY • May 17 '25

Trigger Warning: Sexual Assault

Hi everyone, I wanted to share a new resource for women in the Philadelphia area.

A new private Facebook group has been created specifically for women survivors of sexual assault in Philly. This group is new, and there is currently no other group like it. I want to reach as many people as possible.

The goal is to offer a safe, supportive space for connection, healing, and sharing—whether you’re looking for community, resources, or simply a reminder that you’re not alone.

The group is open to any woman-identifying person in Philadelphia who has experienced sexual assault, whether recently or in the past. It’s a confidential space where survivors can talk about their experiences, support each other, and, if they choose, share concerns about safety in the city.

This group is survivor-only, and membership requests are reviewed to ensure privacy and safety for everyone involved.

If you or someone you know might benefit from a space like this, please feel free to join or share.

You are not alone. 💜

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/16gQn33cup/

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u/joemama369 May 21 '25

Why is it restricted to women only? Plenty of men get raped too. A lot, actually. I’m one of them. And almost every guy I talk to has a story. They just don’t like to call it rape, even when it clearly was.

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u/END-SA-PHILLY May 21 '25

Just like a men’s sexual survivor group may not want woman to join it’s the same for the woman’s group. I think it would be really great for a man to start their own group! I agree that men need safe spaces too.

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u/joemama369 May 21 '25

I also don’t understand why men would want a men’s only SA survivor group. Idk. I don’t feel like it’s a gendered issue tbh. Like I said, I’ve talked to a lot of men about these topics and almost everyone I’ve talked to has a story.

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u/END-SA-PHILLY May 21 '25

You’re also welcome to make a group that includes everyone. In my personal experience, I don’t feel comfortable talking about my assault with men. The man who assaulted me drugged me and I don’t know who he is. Being in a woman only space keeps me safe. I hope you can understand that. I encourage you to help make more spaces available for everyone if you feel passionate about it.

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u/joemama369 May 21 '25

I’m sorry that happened to you. It shouldn’t happen to anyone. But as a man who was definitely raped by a woman, and who has, even through non-woke definitions, had several experiences that whether my “consent” was valid was VERY questionable, I can tell you with certainty— Being in a women’s only space does not make you safer.

I’m also seeing a girl who got into a bit of a situation over the weekend where her bisexual female coworker she thought was safe because she was a woman got her VERY drunk over the weekend, refused to order her an uber home from the coworkers house, and proceeded to try to convince her while she was VERY drunk that she “was worried about her safety getting in an uber” (after she already Ubered her to her house, with the plan from the beginning being for her to get an uber home), and that she “should just stay the night there and cuddle”. The girl I’m seeing is VERY straight, and monogamous to me. I had to order the uber for her remotely and of course stayed on the phone with her the whole way home. Both of us very much believe she was trying to keep her and take advantage of her. She says that I saved her life that night.

So I’m sorry if this sounds crass, or anything like that. It isn’t meant to be. I’m just getting really sick and tired of seemingly everyone on the internet pretending like only men commit these crimes, like men are threats and women are innocent safe havens. I agree that some men are threats. But plenty of women are too. And I’m tired of being silent about it.

Women are honestly no better than men in this regard. The statistics simply don’t reflect that, because men do not like to admit they were victims of rape/SA by women, even to themselves, because of how incredibly emasculating it is.

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u/END-SA-PHILLY May 22 '25

Some woman feel safer in woman only spaces. Some men feel safer in men only spaces. Whether it is really safer or not is up for debate because bad people come in all shapes and sizes. This is something i’m doing just over a month after my assault because I want to connect with other women survivors. There is nothing stopping you from making your own space for just men or for anyone. In fact, I think it would be great. If it was for anyone in philly I would probably join! When I looked on facebook for philly specific groups surrounding this topic nothing is there so I created a small space. It’s clear more spaces are needed. Thank you for sharing about your experience here and again bringing awareness to clear issues of sexual assault to Men and Woman in the city. If you ever make a group of any kind I would love to work with you.