It’sDisability Awareness Day on Sunday – and Police and Crime Commissioner PaddyTipping hopes that it will help to put a stop to disgraceful incidents of hatecrime against people with disabilities.
“In Nottinghamshirelast year, we saw a drop in disability crime of almost 44 per cent, with 23offences recorded. That’s a relatively low figure, but while it’s going in theright direction even one incident like this is one too many.
“Abusingpeople who already have enough on their plate is particularly abhorrent. Sadly,many people with disabilities have come to take hate crime against them as thenorm,” he said.
Mr Tippingis keen to support awareness campaigns as part of a drive to bring an end tothis type of discrimination. He is also encouraging people to report anyincidents. “That way we can get a true picture of the extent of what’shappening, support those who are on the receiving end and bring the offendersto justice.”
In 2012-13,all crime across Nottinghamshire fell by 12 per cent. Hate crime in generalfell more by 22.7 per cent and disability crime by 43.9 per cent.
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Posted on Thursday 11th July 2013