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Noticeboard - details
Disability Harassment Inquiry - Launch of Call for Evidence
On 14 June 2010, the Commission formally launched an Inquiry into disability-related harassment. We are contacting you to encourage your organisation and its members to give evidence to the Inquiry.
Research published by the Commission last year, 'Promoting the Safety and security of disabled people', found that:
Disabled people are at greater risk of experiencing violence than non-disabled people.
Ongoing 'low-level' incidents are widespread, may go undetected and escalate at some point.
Incidents have a significant impact on disabled people who often restructure their lives to minimise real and perceived risk to themselves, even if they have not experienced incidents personally.
Through this Inquiry, the Commission will look at the actions of public authorities and public transport providers to eliminate disability-related harassment and its causes.
Terms of Reference
We have now published the final terms of reference for the Inquiry. These terms of reference set out what the Commission will look at during the Inquiry.
To find out more about the terms of reference and the changes that have been made following the consultation, please visit our website.
Call for Evidence
On our website you will find our call for evidence questionnaire which gives you more information on the Inquiry and details of the 'evidence' we are looking for.
We would like to hear from as many organisations and individuals as possible.
Disabled People's Questionnaire
We have produced a questionnaire for disabled people which can be downloaded in a range of formats including BSL and Easy Read from our website at: www.equalityhumanrights.com/disabilityharassmentfi
Alternatively, individuals wanting to contribute evidence to the Inquiry can contact one of our Helplines to order a printed questionnaire, Braille copy or to arrange a convenient time for an Inquiry team member to call back and take evidence over the telephone.
Disabled People's Organisations Pack
We are currently producing a pack which gives you more information on the Inquiry and shows you how your organisation and its individual members can give evidence to it. We will post a copy to your organisation as soon as it is ready.
The pack will also provide you with the tools to question public authorities on what they are doing to prevent and eliminate disability-related harassment and ask to be involved in their work.
The pack will include:
a draft press release (and guidelines for its use) for you to use to notify your members of the Inquiry and to raise the issue locally
a disabled people's questionnaire
template letters on engaging local public authorities, and
information on the terms of reference consultation and the final terms of reference for the Inquiry.
All of these materials will be made available on the Commission's website, along with a copy of our press release, issued on the 14 June 2010, along with a call for evidence document aimed at organisations.
If you need additional copies, or need the contents of the pack in an alternative format, please contact one of our helplines to discuss your requirements.
Deadline for providing evidence
The deadline for providing evidence to the Inquiry is Friday 10 September 2010.
We would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your input so far. The evidence you provide to the Inquiry will help us develop robust findings and clear recommendations aimed at reducing the unacceptably high levels of harassment, bullying and hate crime against disabled people, their families and friends.
Date posted: Wednesday, 30 June 2010