If you have been sexually harassed, you can inform your lecturer or trusted member of staff for guidance and/or contact Student Wellness Services (SWS) for counselling and advice:
The Student Wellness Service
28 Rhodes Ave
Mowbray
Tel: 021 650 1017 / 1020
Email: counselling@uct.ac.za (for appointments only)
A counsellor is available on Hiddingh campus on Fridays and appointments can be made via the above phone number. Please specify that you wish to see a counsellor at Hiddingh. Appointments can be made on other days at the SWS offices in Mowbray, on the same phone number.
UNDERSTANDING SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND HOW IT COULD AFFECT YOU
Ensure you understand what can be considered ‘sexual harassment’. The following is from the UCT Sexual Harassment Policy. Sexual harassment is unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that violates the rights of a person. It constitutes serious misconduct and will result in disciplinary action. Unwelcome sexual conduct includes behaviour that is perceived by the complainant as demeaning, compromising, embarrassing, threatening and/or offensive including physical, verbal and non-verbal conduct. Such conduct may be direct or indirect and may include technological devices, images and weapons. A single incident of unwelcome sexual conduct can constitute sexual harassment.
Unwelcome physical conduct ranges from touching to sexual assault and rape. Unwelcome verbal conduct includes innuendos, suggestions or hints of a sexual nature, sexual advances, sexual threats, comments with sexual overtones, sex-related jokes or insults, graphic comments about a person's body, inappropriate enquiries about a person's sex life, whistling of a sexual nature and the sending by electronic means or otherwise of sexually explicit text. Unwelcome non-verbal conduct includes gestures, indecent exposure and the display or sending by electronic or other means sexually explicit pictures or objects. Special victimisation is any form of victimisation, discrimination or intimidation of a person for failing to submit to sexual advances. Quid pro quo harassment in the University is when an alleged perpetrator attempts to influence the admission to or appointment of a person in the university by coercing or attempting to coerce a person into sexual activities.