From: drarwingnuttephd@gmail.com   
      
   Independent.co.uk   
      
   Tales of bullying and abuse 'prove authorities have failed disabled'   
   By Nina Lakhani   
      
   Monday, 12 September 2011   
      
   Public authorities are guilty of a "systemic failure" to protect the   
   hundreds of thousands of disabled people who routinely endure   
   harassment or abuse, according to an inquiry.   
      
   The most extreme cases of abuse, including torture and murder,   
   represent only a small part of the problem, and a "cultural shift" is   
   needed in how disabled people are viewed.   
      
   Verbal and physical abuse, theft, fraud and sexual bullying have   
   become so widespread that disabled people seldom report even serious   
   incidents because they accept the harassment as inevitable.   
   The inquiry was set up by the Equality and Human Rights Commission   
   after the deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter, Francecca   
   Hardwick, in Leicestershire in 2007. The two were found dead in their   
   burnt-out car not far from the home where they had suffered seven   
   years of verbal and physical harassment by local youths who went   
   unpunished.   
      
   The report, Hidden in Plain Sight, found that harassment is   
   commonplace, largely ignored and rarely included in official   
   statistics. MPs described the report last night as a devastating   
   reflection of modern Britain which indicated the need for major   
   attitude changes.   
      
   The inquiry examined 10 cases of severe abuse, nine of which resulted   
   in the death of the victim. In many cases, police, health, housing and   
   social services had done little to tackle harassment and petty crimes   
   against the victims which then escalated into more serious assaults.   
   Instead, the victims were often advised to stop going out or to avoid   
   the perpetrators, and disability was rarely considered to be a   
   motivating factor in the crime even when accompanied by hateful name   
   calling. Serious case reviews were carried out in only half of the   
   deaths.   
      
   Mike Smith, the lead commissioner and disability committee head from   
   the EHRC, said: "What is most shocking about the 10 extreme cases is   
   just how vile people can be to other people in modern society. But,   
   when you take a step back, almost more shocking is just how much of   
   this nasty stuff is happening to a lot of people a lot of the time,   
   yet no one is taking notice. It's like a collective denial."   
   An estimated 10 million, or close to 20 per cent, of Britons are   
   disabled. The British Crime Survey shows 1.9 million disabled people   
   were the victims of crime in 2009-10 however this excludes disability-   
   related harassment that is not considered to be criminal such as   
   persistent name calling and kicking doors.   
      
   David Congdon, Mencap head of campaigns and policy, said: "Today's   
   EHRC report exposes systematic and institutional failings in the   
   ability of public authorities to protect disabled people and their   
   families from harassment."   
      
   Many experts said last night that what was most needed was a   
   fundamental shift in society's attitudes towards disability and   
   disabled people. "There needs to be a collective responsibility so   
   everyone notices and no one turns a blind eye," Mr Smith said.   
   The Government said it would respond to the recommendations made by   
   the 18-month inquiry. A spokesman said: "Disability-related harassment   
   is unacceptable and has no place in a civilised society ... We know   
   that hate crime often goes unreported and is not always centrally   
   recorded and we are committed to changing this."   
      
   Ann McGuire, chairwoman of the All Party Parliamentary Disability   
   Group, called the report a "devastating" indictment of 21st-century   
   Britain.   
      
   Eight stories that shame Britain   
      
   David Askew ,who had a mental age of 10, was subjected to harassment   
   that included verbal abuse and having his windows smashed, for 12   
   years. He died of a heart attack in March 2010 after an incident   
   involving local youths.   
      
   Keith Philpott, 36, who had learning difficulties, was beaten and   
   stabbed to death. Two men, Sean Swindon and Michael Peart, were   
   convicted of his murder, which was thought to have been motivated by   
   disapproval of Philpott's relationship with Swindon's sister.   
   Shaowei, 25, was subjected to treatment described by police as   
   "torture" by her husband Lun Xi Tan and was found murdered in 2006.   
   Her husband pleaded guilty to allowing the death of a vulnerable   
   adult.   
      
   Christopher Foulkes, above left, who had mental health issues, was   
   tormented by a 15-year-old boy. He was found dead in 2007 and the   
   teenager was charged with wounding with intent.   
      
   Colin Greenwood, a partially-sighted man from Sheffield, was   
   frequently taunted by youths. In 2007 he was assaulted by two   
   teenagers and died in hospital from a head wound.   
      
   Steven Hoskin was murdered in 2006 after sufferings years of abuse. Mr   
   Hoskin, who had a reading age of six, had been imprisoned and abused   
   in his home by a several perpetrators.   
      
   Laura Milne, who had learning disabilities, was beaten and tortured   
   before being murdered in 2007 by three men, one of whom had bullied   
   her at school. All three were convicted and imprisoned.   
   Michael Gilbert, above right, who had an undiagnosed mental health   
   issue, was kept as a domestic slave by the family of James Watt. He   
   was repeatedly beaten and stabbed and his dismembered body was found   
   in 2009. Watt had been in care with Gilbert. Six convictions followed.   
      
    independent.co.uk   
      
   http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/tales-of-bullying   
   and-abuse-prove-authorities-have-failed-disabled-2353164.html   
      
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