UCT Discrimination & Harassment Office

About UCT DISCHO / Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC)

The Discrimination and Harassment Office (DISCHO) was established at the University of Cape Town in 2001 as the university's first port of call for any matter involving discrimination, sexual harassment, harassment, or gender-based violence. In recent years, DISCHO was merged with UCT's Disability Service, Employment Equity Office, and HIV/AIDS and Inclusivity Unit to form the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC), led by Dr Sianne Alves. The OIC now handles all GBV, discrimination, and harassment matters for UCT students and staff, while retaining the survivor-centred principles and service model established by DISCHO.

This entry uses the original DISCHO name as provided, but note that services are now delivered by the OIC. Survivors on campus should contact the OIC directly.

Relevance to GBV Directory

While primarily a university-based service for students and staff, DISCHO/OIC is included for three reasons: (1) a significant proportion of rape survivors are young adults in the 18–25 age range who may be current or former UCT students; (2) the OIC's 24-hour emergency hotline provides an important first-response resource for anyone on or near the UCT campus; and (3) the OIC offers specialist legal support — including protection order assistance and court accompaniment — that is relevant to any GBV survivor who can access it.

Services

24/7 Sexual Assault Emergency Hotline — 072 393 7824 — available around the clock specifically for sexual assault emergencies on or related to the UCT campus. OIC staff can accompany survivors to Victoria Hospital Forensic Unit, where medical help, optional forensic examination, trauma counselling, and legal support are available.

Trauma Counselling — the OIC's Survivor Support Case Officer (Yumna Seadat) provides trauma counselling including trauma release exercises and facilitates a survivor peer support group at UCT. All services use a survivor-centred, trauma-informed approach.

Legal Advice and Court Preparation — free legal advice and court preparation for GBV victims (staff and students), with particular expertise in protection orders. The office assists survivors in applying for protection orders, understanding their legal options, and preparing for disciplinary hearings or criminal proceedings.

Court Accompaniment — trained Student Support Officers (SSOs) accompany students to the UCT University Tribunal and/or Magistrate's Court.

No-Contact Orders — UCT can issue internal No-Contact Orders requiring a reported perpetrator to have no contact with the survivor within the university environment.

Online Case Reporting Tool — survivors can report incidents confidentially, track case status, and access support anonymously via UCT's digital reporting tool, designed so survivors do not need to repeat their story to multiple offices.

Anti-Discrimination Advisors (ADAs) and Sexual Harassment Advisors (SHAs) — trained staff and community advisors who provide confidential support and assist in complaint and mediation processes.

Campus Protection Services — toll-free emergency line: 080 650 2222 (press 1 for GBV). Campus Protection can assist with transport to Victoria Hospital and operate a Blue-Light escort route across campus after dark.