HAD Helping beat Hate Crime

HAD has joined forces with Hertfordshire Police to tackle crimes against disabled people.

A new initiative has just been launched encouraging victims of disability hate crime to report incidents to the police or, if they prefer, HAD.

Lots of these incidents do not get reported. Victims are either unaware that hostility, prejudice or domestic abuse against disabled people are potentially criminal offences or they do not know how to go about reporting them.

“Many victims do not feel confident of reporting these incidents directly to the police,” Herts Constabulary’s Service Quality Manager Ian Tycer (pictured) explained. “But they might feel more comfortable talking to an organisation like HAD.”

This initiative originates from a Home Office campaign launched in 2009 and in the space of a year improvements have been made.

And a recent report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (downloadable on the left) highlights the seriousness of this issue.

“Reporting these sorts of crimes within the county has increased significantly and we are hoping they will continue to do so,” Ian Tycer said. “And make no mistake we will treat these incidents seriously.”

“It’s a campaign we are happy to be involved with,” HAD’s Chief Executive Annabelle Waterfield, confirmed. “By providing a facility for people to report incidents of disability hate crime has got to be a good thing. And I can assure victims that they will receive a sympathetic and friendly response from our staff.”

Special booklets explaining disability hate crime and including a form for reporting an incident or crime are available from HAD’s Woodside Centre HQ.