Report on sexual violence

13 October 2018 | Vice-Chancellor Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng

Report to Council (October 2018) on sexual violence at UCT

Executive summary by the Vice-Chancellor

Gender-based violence is as stark and worrying a reality on campus as it is in society. It is an enormous challenge and affects the lives and wellness of our students profoundly.

Over the past year the services provided by the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and the separate services within the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC) have been aligned so that survivors are supported better and more effectively and so that the duplication of services are minimised. This is a positive step.

SART has been active in supporting survivors: they are developing a “first responder guide” and they have conducted an analysis of policy, practices and procedures; held a workshop with key stakeholders; managed a silent protest (in August 2017) and extended post-trauma counselling for survivors.

The OIC has been formed in the past year after significant restructuring, bringing various offices together in one unit. The OIC has developed an online case management system that enables anonymous reporting and tracking. The OIC has also been engaged in policy revision, training and prevention education.

The statistics for sexual violence that have been reported to us are available in the full report.

While we have services in place to deal with gender-based violence on campus, there is an enormously long way to go.

Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng
Vice-Chancellor


Read the full report.

Read more about the Sexual Assault Response Team.


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