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History

Women Helping Women was founded on the feminist belief that individuals within a community can and do provide effective support and counseling for each other. In October 1973, several University of Cincinnati graduate students pooled their resources to form a membership, and began to offer counseling services to women.

 WHW Timeline 

  • 1974: WHW was incorporated and granted tax-exempt status as a non-profit organization.
  • 1975: A rape crisis program was initiated, and funding was secured through the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration.
  • 1976: To accommodate program expansion, we moved to the YWCA Building at Ninth and Walnut.
  • 1981: WHW moved its offices to the Barrister Building at 215 East Ninth Street, and that’s where we are today.
  • 1994: WHW undertook a Capital Campaign to raise $250,000 to provide much-needed facility renovation and to update and finance computer systems and other equipment.
  • 1995: Greater Cincinnati Foundation provided new monies for crisis intervention and support services to stalking victims.
  • 1998: An outreach program was implemented to serve people with disabilities who have experienced sexual assault, domestic violence and/or stalking.
  • 1999: WHW collaborated with the sexual assault law enforcement advocacy project with the City of Cincinnati Personal Crimes Unit.
  • 2000: WHW was involved with the domestic violence law enforcement advocacy project with the City of Cincinnati Police Division and the Prosecutor’s Office Advocacy project with the City of Cincinnati Solicitor’s office.
  • 2002: We worked with the Legal Aid project to assist domestic violence victims seeking assistance from Legal Aid.
  • 2012: WHW acquired the Butler County Rape Crisis Program, when that program was at risk for elimination. Acquisition of the program ensured rape crisis services would continue without interruption in Butler County.*
  • 2016: WHW launched new advocate positions: LGBTQ Advocate, Bilingual Advocate, Rural Advocate as well as Campus Based Advocates at University of Cincinnati, Miami University and Xavier University
  • 2017: WHW expanded sexual assault services to rural Adams and Brown Counties to fill an existing gap in services for survivors.
  • 2018: WHW launched the Domestic Violence Enhanced Response Team (DVERT) in partnership with Cincinnati Police Department to provide advocacy services on the scene of domestic violence calls.

*Women Helping Women received support from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, Miami University’s Parent Fund, United Way of Greater Cincinnati and individuals and organizations throughout Butler and Hamilton counties which made continuation of rape crisis services in Butler County possible.