Disability Hate Crime events report

Wed,12 February 2014
News

Disability Rights UK is aiming to improve the knowledge of and success in operating Third Party Disability Hate Crime Reporting Centres.

In conjunction with Disability Rights UK Ambassador Stephen Brookes, a coordinator of the Disability Hate Crime Network, we have been holding a series of events aimed at increasing the number of Disabled People's Organisations running these centres.

The aim of the events was to increase confidence in reporting by getting local disability groups and organisations to set up reporting centres where disabled people can report such incidents to disabled people who work with local police and safeguarding agencies.

Below you can see pictures of the event held in Sheffield, which was undertaken to a really engaged audience of ULDPO's/Police and individual disabled people.

At the events we presented the aims and needs of disability hate crime reporting based on the best practice Blackpool DisabilityFirst model.

The most immediate outcome from the three events (Bristol, Birmingham and Sheffield) has shown that 3rd party reporting is one of the best kept secrets of the fight against disability hate crime, partly because too many disabled people still don't understand what 'hate crime' is and how to report.

We need to access and deepen knowledge of and confidence in 3rd party reporting with engagement by all agencies working closely (and cohesively) together - Police; CPS; Council Social Services; Care agencies; charities ; and mainly ULDPO's for without their active involvement we will struggle to move forward.