Getting started with the unit involves a few fixed steps, but it is not a programme with a start date and an end date. The notes below set out the terms we work under, so that survivors, family members, and referring practitioners know what to expect before the first conversation.
The first call is used to understand what is happening now, what has already been tried, and what feels unsafe. It is not a screening test and there is no score attached to it. If the unit is not the right fit, we say so during that call and point to a service that is.
Case files carry no names and no identifying details. What is discussed in a session stays there, with two exceptions we explain at intake: an immediate risk to a child, and a court order requiring records. We would rather name those limits at the start than have them surface later.
A referral from a social worker, clinic, or legal aid attorney does not move someone ahead of a survivor who calls directly. It does mean the first session can start with context already in hand, which usually saves one appointment. Referrers are asked to send the referral pack rather than a full case history.
Preparing for a protection order hearing or a criminal case follows a different timeline from ongoing counselling, and the two are scheduled independently. A survivor may use one without the other. Where a hearing date is close, say so at intake so preparation is prioritised over the regular session rhythm.
Sessions run in English, isiXhosa, or Afrikaans, with interpreters booked where needed. Written summaries are kept plain and short, and translated where we can. Some terms used in court or in medical settings do not carry the same weight in every language, and we work through that rather than around it.
The unit does not provide emergency accommodation, does not represent anyone in court, and does not issue medical reports. Those come through shelters, legal aid clinics, and public health services we refer into. We also do not take on cases outside the Western Cape and Gauteng.
Most people arrive at the unit through a social worker, a clinic, or a legal aid attorney. Others call directly. What follows is the sequence we work through, roughly in order, though the pace depends on what is safe and possible at the time.
First contact
A social worker sends a referral, or a survivor calls the unit directly. We ask for a first name, a safe number, and a rough idea of what is happening. No case history, no graphic detail. If the call is not safe to take, we agree on a time and a number that is.
Intake
The intake runs about ninety minutes, in person in Cape Town or by phone. We cover immediate safety, who else knows, what has already been tried, and what the person wants to happen next. Interpreters can be booked for isiXhosa or Afrikaans. Written summaries stay in the file and carry no identifying details.
Safety planning
We work through safe places to stay, who to call at which hour, how children move between schools, and what goes into a go-bag. The plan is written down, reviewed after any change in circumstances, and shared only with the people the survivor names.
Referrals out
Where a shelter placement, a legal aid clinic, or a public health service is needed, we make the introduction and stay in contact until the first appointment is confirmed. Coverage runs across the Western Cape and Gauteng. We do not promise a placement we cannot confirm.
Court preparation
Court preparation is separate from counselling and has its own timeline. We walk through what a protection order involves, what the day itself looks like, who will be in the room, and what questions are likely to come. This is practical preparation, not legal advice.
Ongoing
Sessions continue weekly or fortnightly, depending on capacity and what the person can manage. Family members can be included where that is wanted. If someone stops answering, we try twice more and then leave the file open for six months.