2 June 2011 Bullying, taunting and abuse : Trailblazers put disability hate crime under the spotlight

Bullying, taunting, intimidation and physical abuse of disabled teenagers and young people will be put under the spotlight from today, as Trailblazers launch a nation-wide investigation into disability hate crime.

Trailblazers, have launched the study following reports of an increase in threatening and unlawful behaviour towards disabled Britons. Together they will examine how, when and where young people are experiencing disability hate crime, how offences are currently being dealt with and how to help ensure that serious incidents do not go unreported.

The group plans to work with regional disability organisations, community groups, colleges and through social media to uncover the extent at which young disabled people are being affected and to find ways to tackle the problem.

Mindi Virdee (22) from Hayes, Middlesex, says that Trailblazers members are concerned that young disabled people are often unclear on what types of negative behaviour should be reported or are worried that their concerns will not be taken seriously:

Many young disabled people become accustomed to negative reactions to their condition. While extremely aggressive behaviour like physical abuse on grounds of disability is often reported, bullying and verbal intimidation may not be. Threatening behaviour should not go unreported, and that includes casual insults, subtle bullying and bravado at a disabled person's expense.

The Trailblazers believe that these more covert types of victimisation are being commonly experienced by young disabled people, and that there is clear need to look at ways to address them - and to help young disabled people feel empowered to do so. Young disabled people need to work together to get under the skin of the problem, in order to tackle it.

The Trailblazers, have campaigned on issues facing young disabled people including higher education, employment, access to leisure facilities and public transport, and set up the first Parliamentary Group for Young Disabled people at Westminster earlier this year.

Trailblazers campaigners choose the focus of each new campaign, with their disability hate crime investigation sparked by the bullying, intimidation and verbal abuse of a disabled female student by university security staff last year, and the poor handling of her case by senior staff. It follows figures released by disability charity Scope which show a marked increase in perceived discrimination against disabled people in the past year.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign's Trailblazers project manager Bobby Ancil said:

Disabled people have received a very raw deal in the media over the past year and the affects of this are becoming clear. The Trailblazers will be focusing on the impact on young disabled people specifically, talking to them about what they consider to be hate crime and what experiences they have - or are having - of it.

We hope that this will be the first step towards changing the attitudes of the perpetrators and of young disabled people who do not feel able to report it."

To share your experience or to get involved in the investigation get in touch.

 

 

Tags: East Midlands, East of England, London, North East, North West, Northern Ireland, Scotland, South East, South West, Wales, West Midlands, Yorkshire and the Humber, disability, disabled

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