Event Report Feel more confident to report Disability Hate Crime 18 October 2017
ADS Tom Dunn, Met Police & Faye, LD Assembly
Cheryl Lewis, DASL Disability Hate Crime Advocate
Brian, Gina and Jennifer, People First Lambeth Mate Crime Role Play
Kate, Healthwatch Lambeth Maggie & Jane, LD Assembly
Table Discussions
Sabina giving her experience
Support to give feedback
Met Police, Hate Crime Lead & Lambeth Safer Transport Team
Certitude
17-24-30
Transport for London
Action On Elder Abuse Disability Advice Service Lambeth Age UK Lambeth
Met Police
People First Lambeth Victim Support
This was the fourth annual event organised by the Lambeth Disability Hate Crime Partnership to mark National Hate Crime Awareness Week. Once again, this event was the only one held in Lambeth, and had a special focus on Disability Hate Crime. We used the accessible meeting rooms at “We are 336,” on Wednesday 18 October 2017. Over 65 people attended, a mix of disabled people and local organisations with representatives from Disability Advice Service Lambeth, Lambeth Council, Action on Elder Abuse, Mosaic Clubhouse, Learning Disability People’s Assembly, Certitude (Solidarity in a Crisis), “We are 336”, Lambeth Mencap’s Autism Project, People First Lambeth, Lambeth’s Safer Transport Team, Transport for London, “17-24-30”, Victim Support, Healthwatch Lambeth and the Metropolitan Police. Disability Hate Crime has had the biggest increase in reporting figures than any other hate crime. Local police are getting better at flagging crimes that are reported to them. The increase does not necessarily mean that Disability Hate Crime is increasing; it is more likely that when it is reported, it is being recorded properly. The Partnership held this year’s event to improve local disabled people’s confidence to report by having representatives from local organisations available to talk to, and plenty of time to discuss their experiences of incidents and crimes. There is still a dissonance between what is experienced and what is reported to the police, especially within the Learning Disabled community. This year, we had a showcase of the “circle of support” available to disabled people in Lambeth, with many of our key Partnership organisations having a presence on the day to build up trusting relationships. Cheryl Lewis, DASL’s Disability Hate Crime Advocate, reported how she has been supporting a number of clients with situations that were causing them a lot of distress. We showed video interviews of two clients giving their feedback on how the had supported them to deal with very different situations. The Partnership continues to meet monthly, DASL chairs the Partnership and the Working Group is supported by DASL’s Community Development Worker, Louise Holden.
Partnership Members as of December 2017 Disability Advice Service Lambeth (Chair) Victim Support Lambeth and Southwark Mencap Lambeth Learning Disability Assembly Lambeth Pan-Disability Forum Age UK Lambeth Lambeth Accord Healthwatch Lambeth Lambeth Autism Group Certitude (Solidarity in a Crisis Peer support service) Mosaic Clubhouse Lambeth and Southwark MIND Action on Elder Abuse Gaia Centre 17-24-30 Lambeth Council (Community Safety, Housing and Adult Social Services representatives) Metropolitan Police Service (including the Community Safety Team and the Lambeth Safer Transport Team)