Disability hate crimes

Written by Super User 26 Sep 2014

Data from Crime Survey England and Wales estimate that, on average, 62,000 people per year are discriminated against on the grounds of their disability. Home Office statistics reveal police recorded 1,841 reports of disability hate crime in 2012-13, with 810 incidents going to court. This led to 349 convictions, but only seven of these resulted in an increased sentence with the victim's disability being considered an aggravating factor. Reviews by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary show that police often feel uncomfortable asking an individual about their disability and that not enough officers are trained to deal with people with learning disabilities. Kelly, one of the thousands of disabled abuse victims, said, ‘I'm getting bullied in the shops, when I walk home and then I get bullied in the pubs’. After a passer-by poured a fizzy drink over Kelly in the street, she says the police officer's response was ‘Just ignore it.’

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