Autistic most likely to experience disability hate crime, figures show

Analysis by the Office of National Statistics (ONS), collated on behalf of disability charity Dimensions, has warned that people who suffer from learning disabilities and autism are considerably more likely to experience hate crime than other disabled groups.

The figures found that people whose disability impacts them ‘socially and behaviourally’ were four times more likely to be victims than those who said their disability impacted their mobility, stamina, and vision, as well as those with mental health problems.

The statistics revealed that of a total of 88,000 adult victims of hate crime between 2013 and 2016, 32 per cent were victims of a disability-motivated hate crime.

The ONS cited that adults who stated their illness or disability affected them socially or behaviourally, with conditions such as autism, had the highest prevalence rate (two per cent) and were over four times more likely to be a victim of a disability-motivated personal hate crime than adults who stated their disability affected their stamina (0.3 per cent of adults), mobility or vision (0.4 per cent of adults) or their mental health (0.5 per cent of adults).

The findings come after research by Dimensions last year found that 73 per cent of respondents had been victims of learning disability and autism hate crime, with 53 per cent taking place in the past year alone.

Steve Scown, chief executive of Dimensions, said: “We’ve known for a long time that hate crime is a problem for people with learning disabilities and autism. This research finally proves that this group is targeted far more than any other.”

Shown urged: “It’s time to tackle this head on and make sure people with learning disabilities and autism get the right support from police, prosecutors and the wider community.

"Now we know the shocking national prevalence, police forces across the country must examine local patterns of hate crime committed against people with learning disabilities and autism.”