The Department of Environmental and Geographical Science has a zero-tolerance stance towards any form of sexual harassment and sexual misconduct and is committed to providing students with the support they need.  If you or someone you know has been sexually harassed, you can inform your lecturer or a trusted member of staff for guidance, and/or make use of the services provided by the Office of Inclusivity and Change (OIC) and Student Wellness Service.

Office of Inclusivity and Change Services

  • 24/7 Sexual Assault Emergency Standby Number: 072 393 7824

  • Electronic platform for complainants to report rape, sexual assault and/or discrimination incidents on behalf of themselves or others: https://casereporting.uct.ac.za/ReportingPage/

  • Survivor support

Student Wellness Services

  • 24/7 toll-free telephonic counselling services: 0800 24 25 26 or text 31393

  • Online or face-to-face counselling appointments: online booking form 

  • Student Wellness Services Hotline: 021 650 1020

  • Ivan Toms Building, 28 Rhodes Avenue, Mowbray

Understanding sexual harassment and how it could affect you

Ensure you understand what can be considered ‘sexual harassment’. The following is from the UCT Policy on Sexual Misconduct. 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. Sexual harassment can take various forms:

  • 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 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.