Ian Macrae: This hatred is borne out of fear of disability
Monday, 6 October 2008
People – even some disabled people – find it difficult to understand or believe why or how non-disabled people can hate some of us enough to want to insult, abuse, torture or kill members of our community. Yet the fact remains that Brent Martin was chased across town and kicked and beaten to death because of what he was – a disabled person.
When compared with other instances of hate crime, it's not difficult to understand how a reluctance to believe in hatred of disabled people is hard to accept. If a woman is raped, the motive generally becomes clear that it's because she's a woman and the perpetrator has issues with that. The racial hatred behind the murder of Stephen Lawrence was demonstrably evident.
But we, as disabled people, are seen as worthy more of pity than hatred. The police and the criminal justice system regards us as "vulnerable". This equates with the old thinking about rape – "If you were in that area at that time of night, love, you were asking for it." Whereas, in fact, if a person with high support needs in a residential care setting is being systematically abused by a member of staff, to describe them as "vulnerable" is perilously close to placing the responsibility for what happened on them. In actuality, the perpetrator has chosen to commit the crime because of what that person is.
In the Martin case, the judge placed emphasis on the fact that the three men were "drink-fuelled". That may well be true. But it's also true that they attacked Brent because of what he was – a disabled man.
Disabled people's impairments frighten people because they show them what they could become. Hate is too easily borne out of that fear. And that is what the judiciary, the police and the criminal justice system – and indeed society at large – have to come to terms with. Disabled people create fear and hatred in just the same way as people from ethnic minorities do for the racist; women do for the rapist, or gay people do for the homophobe.
Ian Macrae is the editor of 'Disability Now'
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Copyright 2008 Independent News and Media Limited
The government definitely haven't gone to great lengths to prevent discrimination against Disabled people. Many of the things they have done ADD to it. And that's why incidences like those in this piece have continued to happen. It's ridiculous to blame a "victim culture" because that is the kind of phrase that those who commit these atrocities would use to justify their vile actions.
Posted by Chris Page | 06.10.08, 19:31 GMT
Don't understand the bizarre reasoning iof this article.
"The police and the criminal justice system regards us as "vulnerable". This equates with the old thinking about rape – "If you were in that area at that time of night, love, you were asking for it.""
Stupid rubbish. Women were believed to bring rape on themselves not because they were vulnerable and to be pitied but they were perceived as dressing as tarts and provoking men. |Equally wrong but totally different from your thesis.
Posted by Neil Murphy | 06.10.08, 18:48 GMT
While I would never sanction the violence described here, I think you're a bit hard on people. Instinct makes all living things abhor disability to at least some extent, and if we're slow educating ourselves to get past it, it may be partly because recent medical advances mean many people with disabilities are suddenly living and living longer. And in a situation of stressed, scarce resources, even the most docile animal will fight.
Certainly, there is a lingering dread in the Cdn workplace that resulted from workers who often arrived at the office in need of but without personal care attendants - forcing reliance on ubiquitous kind sc'y or recp't. That episode here is now mercifully past, but I still notice people looking away, often to avoid being asked to provide a PCA service(s).
Sadly, those who feel pressed by the prevailing culture are necessarily the ONLY people who can effectively re-set the rules and perceptions - one lunch counter, one court case at a time.
Posted by L.M. Murray | 06.10.08, 18:33 GMT
As i was a carer for three decades as with goodness the human race's capacity too be vile should never be underestimated. Mostly in part committed by adults whom should know better !.
Posted by RSBridgman | 06.10.08, 15:54 GMT
There are some interesting points here, but if I reported every occasion where I was sworn at, called names and had things thrown at me etc I'd have been on the phone to the police every week. I've now moved from that area of central London, but we don't all have the luxury of being able to relocate to a better neighbourhood. The reality is most disabled people just get used to this as part of everyday life. I agree we can't afford to get into a victim culture, but we also need to deal with and stop this bullying culture that targets any difference or weakness. Its not acceptable in a civilised society for people to die because they look differnt or are seen as volnerable.
Posted by Val | 06.10.08, 13:56 GMT
The government has gone to great lengths to ensure disabled people are not discriminated against...welcome to equality guys....its not all its cracked up to be is it!
Posted by Anne | 06.10.08, 13:43 GMT
All hate crime is wrong, and the disabled are no different than anyone else on being on the receiving end. Actually, the biggest victims of all violent crime are young men aged between 16 and 24, and almost 100% are able-bodied.
What happened to Brent Martin at the hands of a group of thugs and bullies was appalling, but it happens all the time to people, especially young men, who are not disabled. Thugs and bullies look for one thing, vulnerability.
People both disabled and able bodied get abused. There are always going to be abusers amongst us, and they are always going to look for targets, but don't take on a victim mentality just because of them.
Jaff is right to point out the abuse of the disabled badge. Only recently on a pay and display carpark, a young, able-bodied couple carrying rock climbing gear returned to a car parked in the disabled bay, loaded their gear, removed the disabled badge, got in and drove away. Presumably they had 'borrowed' the badge from someone.
Posted by Andrea | 06.10.08, 09:47 GMT
'I've been sworn and verbally assulted on 3 ocassions;- me too, and far more often, but i'm not disabled, just irritating!
however, there is a real problem, for instance:
1. being registered disabled can lead to opportunities and extras which are not always available to others; as a teacher i saw many disadvantaged able-bodied children who got very little attention by comparison; and just look at all those false geriatric 'disabled' car stickers!
2. its grand that the disabled are no longer shy of speaking up, but there might be a danger that they become too overtly demanding, at least in the eyes of hard pressed taxpayers who see nothing going for themselves at all?
Perhaps there should be a new category of the 'ENABLED' - ie folk who are given sufficient help to lead independent lives so that they are no longer classed as disabled and just join all the rest of us battling along unaided on equal terms?
Posted by jaff | 06.10.08, 08:58 GMT
As a freelance researcher as well as being a disabled person, and also as facilitator of a Crown Prosecution Service Hate Crime Scrutiny panel, I have much sympathy with Ian McRea's comments, but I have some concerns to share here.
The trouble is that there is a long way to go before people understand what hate crime actually means, and that includes disabled people.
Hate crimes leading to serious injury or death can be recognised, but so much else goes unreported simply due to confusion as to what a hate crime is.
Insulting and demeaning actions because of disability chip away at a persons dignity, so it is a hate crime.
It is essential that disabled people report crime against them because they 'appear' to be disabled, as without such reports nothing is done and the law process fails to engage.
Basically,my message is don't always blame the system if you don't take your own responsibility on board.
Posted by Stephen Brookes MBE | 06.10.08, 08:06 GMT
I've been sworn and verbally assulted on 3 ocassions. i think its due to Politicians saying Disabled people are lazy and in need of work, that employers wont give them. There is a 1930's type thing in both main parties towards disabled persons, simular to minorities in Germany and we know what that led to. Disabled people were gassed aswell.
Posted by James | 06.10.08, 03:35 GMT