disability hate crimes surged in 2013

[redruddyred]

http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/11/26/disability-hate-crimes-surge/18921/

Nearly twice as many hate crimes targeting people with disabilities were reported last year, the FBI says, even as the total number of hate crimes nationwide fell.

Statistics released Monday from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program indicate that there were 102 hate crime offenses reported in 2012 based on disability bias. That’s up from 58 the year prior.

The increase in disability-related cases comes as the total number of hate crimes declined, the FBI said.

Overall, 5,796 criminal incidents reported last year were motivated by a bias toward a particular race, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/national origin or disability. In 2011, there were 6,222 cases.

Disability bias accounted for 1.6 percent of all hate crimes reported in 2012. The FBI said that 82 of the incidents were related to mental disability and 20 were related to physical disability.

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the guardian has some interesting insights on this. do keep in mind that this is a different country, also published a couple years back.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/sep/16/disabled-hate-crime-government-benefits

There is little doubt that disability hate crime is on the rise. A recent Equality and Human Rights Commission report concluded that "people with disabilities in the UK face harassment, insult and attack almost as a matter of routine, while a collective denial' among police, government and other public bodies means little is done to challenge the situation".

This is strong language. It seems so shocking that we might decide that it cannot possibly be true. Turn then to the Mencap study that found police were consistently failing the victims of disability hate crime, or to the Scope report that concluded that "widespread casual and institutional disablism in Britain creates the conditions where disability hate crime can flourish without being recognised or challenged".

**SNIP**


indeed it is hard not to blame our current political climate. I am disabled, and am regularly sneered at by hospital secretaries for not being employed; doctors aren't terribly supportive either, but they're smart enough to hide it well. surely it wasn't always so bad?

[thucythucy]

1. This is very sad, and needs to be addressed as another form of hate

directed at the "other."

Thanks for posting this and bringing this to our attention.

[CountAllVotes]

2. We live in a "sick" world IMO

I know what you mean about the snarling secretaries, etc. Its like they are jealous of you because you don't work or something. The secretary that used to work for my doctor said to me, "I know of a woman with MS and she is a roofer! She climbs right on top of the roofs carrying the heavy pails of tar and does the job with no problems at all!".

Luckily, said ignorant secretary has retired and I yes, I too am sick and tired of hearing such remarks from an assortment of people. Shame on all of them!!!!!

So, yes, I can sure understand why hatred of the disabled is now becoming a big issue.

I wish I had something positive to say but I do not.

Try to do the best you can. That is all that any of us "disabled" folks can do.

In the meantime, here is a for you.

Hatred in any form is beyond the pale in my book!

[redruddyred]

3. thanks for the hugs.

according to my history books, this "blame the poor" campaign is all reagan's fault. I'm not sure how someone who can barely get out of bed in the morning can be the cause of all our woes, but that's republican logic for ya.

[CountAllVotes]

4. We all need hugs

Especially those of us that feel scorned by society because we are ill!

A sad sick world indeed is one that condemns he/she who can no longer work regardless of what they may or may not have been able to contribute to society.

[redruddyred]

5. indeed, they've built a political movement on it.

jesus would be ashamed.