Every working day at least one person on average appears in court charged with a crime against a disabled person, nearly half of which involve violence.
Evidence already gathered by the Commission suggests that many more incidents of targeted violence or hostility go unreported or are not dealt with properly.
The Commission is investigating whether public bodies and public transport providers are fulfilling their legal obligations to prevent disabled people from being harassed, including name-calling, intimidation, bullying or violence. Councils, police forces, schools and other public bodies as well as bus, train companies and other public transport providers found to be failing in their duties could face enforcement action.
We are asking people if they have sought help from any public body or transport provider and what support they got, either as a result of being harassed because of their disability or because of their connection to someone who is disabled. The Commission is also working with organisations of and for disabled people or crime victims to help gather evidence.
Public bodies and transport providers are being asked to disclose what steps – if any – they are taking to meet their legal duties.
At the end of the Inquiry, public bodies and transport providers found not to be doing enough to tackle the problem could face legal action to force them to comply with their legal obligations.
More information about the Inquiry and how to give evidence can be found on the Commission’s website at: www.equalityhumanrights.com/disabilityharassmentfi, by sending an email to disabilityharassmentfi@equalityhumanrights.com, and, for individuals, by contacting the Commission’s helpline by telephone or textphone to arrange a convenient time for a call back. (See bottom of the page for contact details).
The Commission has also produced a short film called ‘Nice Day’ which follows the course of a day for a man with a learning disability. The film illustrates some of the issues the Inquiry is looking into.
