Stand by
Me
End hate crime against
people with a learning
disability
What is a disability hate crime?
Any criminal offence that is motivated
by hostility or prejudice based upon
the victim's disability or perceived
disability
If you think it is, it is!
Also if a friend or family member is
targeted because of another person’s
disability, this is also a hate crime
What is disability hate
crime?
What is it?
- name calling
- frightening you
- shoving or pushing
- hurting you
- stealing from you
Ignorance, prejudice or
wanting to take advantage
because you are disabled
Why do we need to act?
- In 2007, Fiona Pilkington killed herself
and her daughter, Francesca
- They had been bullied for over 10
years because of Francesca’s learning
disability.
- Ignored by the police and social
services, they couldn’t cope anymore.
Why do we need to act?
- Youths targeted David Askew’s home in
2010. They vandalised the family’s
property
- Mr Askew collapsed and died
- Family were targeted for years because
of their vulnerability
- 88 reported incidents from 2004 – 2010
- Greater Manchester Police criticised
Why do we need to act?
- A 17 year old with Asperger’s
syndrome was tortured for three days
- He was beaten, force-fed large
amounts of alcohol and covered in dog
mess.
- The three men who did this to him got
just 80 hours community service
Most cases never come to
court
• Cases like this don’t happen every day
• In the main, people are putting up with
repeated low level intimidation
• It may not even look like a crime
• About 9 out of 10 people with a learning
disability say they have been the victim of
hostility and bullying at some time
• We can only guess how many cases go
unreported
• We cannot let this continue
The big issue
•
•
•
•
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Disability hate crime is still
Overlooked
Under-reported
Mistaken for other sorts of crime
We all have a role to play
3 year campaign from 2011
• Launch year & ongoing
- the police
- the public
- people with a learning disability
• Further years – courts
local authorities
government
Stand by me launch
Why the Police?
Some forces doing great work but in others
- Learning disability is still not understood
- People don’t get enough support
- Disability hate crime not a priority
- Not recording disability hate crime
- Better strategies & joined up work needed
Don’t stand by –
research into police practice
• 14 police services across England took
part in our research into how police
respond to disability hate crime
• Recommendations made around strategy,
structures, dedicated hate crime officers,
partnership working, specific dhc policies,
training, consistent recording, 3rd party
reporting
• www.mencap.org.uk/standbyme
Stand by me – police promise
We want police services
to promise to stand by
people with a learning
disability to end hate crime
Stand by me – police promise key
points
1. Make information easy to understand
2. Improve evidence-gathering, interview time
3. Understand more about learning disability
4. Respect and involve families and carers
5. Challenge discriminatory language/attitudes
6. Keep people up-to-date
7. Recognise that disability hate crime is important
8. Don’t label as anti-social behaviour
9. Invite people with a learning disability to beat meetings
10. Display the Stand by me promises
One month after our launch…
1. Bromley Police
2. Croydon Police
3. Devon and Cornwall Police
4. Durham Constabulary
5. Dyfed-Powys Police
6. Greater Manchester Police
7. Hertfordshire Constabulary
8. Kent Police
9. Lincolnshire Police
10.Merseyside Police
11. Norfolk Constabulary
12. Northamptonshire Police
13. Northumbria Police
14. Nottinghamshire Police
15. South Yorkshire Police
16. Suffolk Constabulary
17. Sussex Police
18. Warwickshire Police
19. West Midlands Police
Out of 43 in England & Wales
How you can help
Sign the petition
Ask people you know to sign it
We’ll use them locally and take them
to Parliament
Make disability hate crime a priority
whenever you come across it
Contact information
Maggie Graham
Regional campaigns officer
phone 0771 770 2112
email maggie.graham@mencap.org.uk
Learning Disability Helpline –
Telephone 0808 808 1111
www.mencap.org.uk/standbyme