Are public authorities doing enough to tackle disability hate crime?
The Commission is to ask Hinckley and Bosworth Council to provide evidence it is compliant with its legal duty to eliminate disability-related harassment, following the Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter Francecca. [For the background to this story see: www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/01/pilkington-bullying-accused-family]
The Commission will also be contacting the Independent Police Complaints Commission to find out the scope of its inquiry before deciding whether to take any further action.
Following research into hate crimes we published earlier this year, the Commission has already set in train a wider review into how public authorities are meeting their legal duty to eliminate harassment of the kind suffered by the Pilkingtons. The report found that those with learning disabilities and mental health conditions were particularly at risk and suffered higher levels of victimisation, as well as a prevalence of ongoing low level incidents which can escalate into more serious violence.
The Commission has statutory powers to ensure that public authorities comply with the Disability Equality Duty, which specifically lists elimination of harassment due to disability. In December this year many public authorities will be required to publish revised Disability Equality Schemes. The Commission will expect clear evidence of how they propose to address harassment and hate crimes.
Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission said: ‘It is clear that serious failings in a number of public bodies led directly to the tragic deaths of Fiona Pilkington and her daughter Francecca. The Commission’s role is to look at how Hinckley and Bosworth Council was using the Disability Equality Duty to provide the right support and services for families like the Pilkingtons. The Commission is also taking a wider look at how local authorities address hate crimes and harassment. Our research shows that while these deaths stand out because of the desperate course of action Fiona Pilkington took, hate crime is all too common an experience for disabled people.’
Find out more about safety and security for disabled people.
Find out more about the Disability Equality Duty.