HEART — Free Survivor Support for Muslim Women & Girls
HEART (originally HEART Women & Girls) is a Muslim-led national organization that builds sexual health literacy and provides direct survivor support across Muslim communities. Founded in 2009 in Chicago by Nadiah Mohajir and Ayesha Akhtar, HEART runs trauma-informed peer advocacy for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, free 1-on-1 confidential support sessions, ongoing community programming in Chicago, Southern California, and the greater DC area, and resources written by and for Muslim women and girls.
What to Expect
HEART’s direct survivor services include 1-on-1 confidential sessions with trained survivor advocates who provide emotional support, resources, and guidance for Muslim survivors navigating gender-based violence, reproductive justice, or sexual health concerns. Sessions are free, confidential, and grounded in trauma-informed care that understands the cultural and religious context survivors are moving through. HEART also runs community workshops on consent, healthy relationships, reproductive health, and survivor support, plus peer learning circles and youth-focused programming. The organization’s resources are designed to be culturally sensitive and accessible — many are written specifically for Muslim women and girls navigating topics that often go unaddressed in their families or mosques.
Who This Group Is For
HEART serves Muslim women, girls, and young people across the U.S. — including survivors of sexual or domestic violence, people navigating reproductive health questions, youth learning about consent and relationships, and parents wanting to better support their children. In-person programming is concentrated in Chicago, Southern California, and the greater DC area; the 1-on-1 survivor advocate sessions and resource library are accessible nationally. HEART’s work is intentional about inclusivity across Muslim communities — Black, South Asian, Arab, Southeast Asian, mixed-heritage, and convert Muslims are all part of the constituency.
Why Peer Support Works
For Muslim survivors of gender-based violence, finding support that doesn’t ask them to choose between their faith and their safety can be hard. HEART’s trained advocates are themselves grounded in Muslim community and understand how cultural and religious context shapes survivor experience. Sitting with an advocate who doesn’t need the Muslim part of the story explained — and who treats Islamic practice as a resource rather than an obstacle — often opens up the kind of honest conversation that mainstream services can’t.
How to Join
HEART’s survivor advocacy and resources are free. Visit hearttogrow.org to request a confidential 1-on-1 session with a trained survivor advocate, browse the resource library, register for community programming, and learn about HEART’s work. The organization can also be reached for media inquiries, training requests, and partnerships through the site.