Almost half of all adults with learning disabilities and autism surveyed in new research led by the University’s Tizard Centre said they had suffered some form of disability hate related incident when they were out in the community.
The Kent-based, three-year research project, titled Living in Fear: Better Outcomes for People with Learning Disabilities and Autism, found that a third of those surveyed living in the Medway area said they had been attacked and victimised.
Dr Julie Beadle-Brown, Reader in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities at the Tizard Centre said: ‘The impact of these types of hate crime can be severe and long lasting. Indeed, the most common response is for people suffering victimisation is to change their lives in some way – including moving home – to try and avoid further incidents.’
Following the research report, MCCH, Kent Police and Medway Council will carry out a pilot project aimed at reducing assaults, bullying, verbal harassment and other forms of victimisation of people with learning disabilities and autism.
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