Stand by Me

End hate crime against people with a learning disability

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 a disability hate crime?

What is it?- name calling- frightening you- shoving or pushing- hurting you- stealing from you

Ignorance, prejudice orwanting to take advantage because you are disabled

What is disability hate crime?

- 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

Why do we need to act?

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

• 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

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

Stand by me launch

Why the Police?

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 understand2. Improve evidence-gathering, interview time3. Understand more about learning disability4. Respect and involve families and carers 5. Challenge discriminatory language/attitudes6. Keep people up-to-date7. Recognise that disability hate crime is important8. Don’t label as anti-social behaviour9. Invite people with a learning disability to beat

meetings10. 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

Maggie GrahamRegional campaigns officerphone 0771 770 2112email maggie.graham@mencap.org.uk

Learning Disability Helpline – Telephone 0808 808 1111

www.mencap.org.uk/standbyme

Contact information