1. Hate Crime --- Key Findings --- NUS Disabled Students’ Campaign NUS lead- Robert Holland Research & Policy Officer (Liberation) Robert.holland@nus.org.uk

2. Two reports NUS Disability Hate Crime Report The report is one of 4 looking at hate incidents motivated by bias towards students’ protected characteristics. The other reports focus on LGBT, religion and belief and race and ethnicity. Almost 10,000 students responded to the survey. The report will be published in November. Equality and Human Rights Commission report The EHRC has published in September 2011 ‘Hidden in plain sight.’ This looks at disability hate crime within society as a whole. It does not focus on students. Available on their website www.equalityhumanrights.com

3. “Hidden in Plain Sight” For many disabled people, harassment is a commonplace occurrence, that many come to accept as inevitable. Reporting is low –People feel they won’t be believed –Fear repercussions –“culture of disbelief”

4. Responses to hate crime Often there were earlier less serious incidents but no effective action taken, so harassment got worse. Focus on changing victim’s behaviour, not perpetrators. Failure to share information Disability rarely taken into account as a motivating factor- so given low priority

5. EHRC recommendations 7 recommendations to address “serious, systemic organisational failures” Need for social and cultural change about how disabled people are viewed, valued and included in society

6. NUS Hate Crime report 8% of respondents disabled respondents reported a disability-related hate incident. Verbal abuse was the most common form of victimisation. Those with physical disabilities were more likely to experience disability-related hate incidences –24% of people with physical disabilities –15% of people with sensory impairments

7. Fears of abuse 33% of respondents with a physical impairment and 27% with a sensory impairment were ‘fairly worried’ about being subject to abuse. victims change their behaviour and daily patterns as a result of incidents “I will often attempt to walk about without my walking aids (crutches, walking stick) because of the stares and comments made… I have in the past had people kick my walking aids out of the way as a "joke".

8. Location and perpetrator profile Large proportion of incidents occurred at the place of study. In 56% of incidents, the perpetrator(s) was known to be a student. Of these, 85% were reported to be students at the victim’s college or university

9. Reporting 21% reported hate related incidents to their institution Only 12% reported hate related incidents to the police. Reasons for not reporting: –the police could not or would not do anything –the victim considered the incident not serious enough to warrant the attention of the police –Felt ashamed, embarrassed or that it was their ‘fault’ –Concerns over safety ‘There is no way I could have remained anonymous’

10. Impact In 49% of incidents, the victim reported resultant mental health problems. 27% reported how it adversely affected their studies 25% reported how it affected social acceptance into other groups. ‘I feel so demoralized. It has been a real battle for me to carry on but I am too ashamed to confide in old friends so I have become isolated.