National Publications:

Disabled people's experiences of targeted violence and hostility 

The Commission carried out research into disabled people’s experiences of targeted violence in two phases:

  1. An extensive literature review of 73 items. 
  2. Qualitative interviews with 39 victims

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 30 victims of targeted violence with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions from England, Wales and Scotland. Representatives from 9 organisations and agencies with a role in tackling the issues around targeted violence of disabled people. were also interviewed

What was previously known on this topic

  • The evidence base on disabled people’s experience of targeted violence is extremely patchy, with a lack of robust national-level data
  • Disabled people experience a range of physical, verbal and sexual targeted violence
  • The impact of targeted violence is wide-ranging, and can even lead to death
  • Disabled people under-report such incidents to the relevant criminal justice agencies
  • There are a range of physical, procedural and attitudinal barriers to disabled people seeking redress to incidents of targeted violence.

What this report adds

This report synthesised the wider evidence base, generated new evidence to plug a number of evidence gaps, and advanced the knowledge base in a number of areas.

Among other things it finds that:

  • Disabled people are at higher risk and experience greater levels of targeted violence in comparison to non-disabled people. Within the disabled population, people with learning disabilities and/or mental health conditions experience higher levels of targeted violence
  • Disabled children and young people and disabled women, particularly those with learning disabilities, are particularly at risk
  • The higher levels of risk and victimisation should be understood against the wider context of poverty and deprivation experienced by many disabled people. Geographic concentration coupled with multiple sets of ‘minoritised identities’ can compound risk
  • Ongoing ‘low-level’ incidents are widespread and may go undetected but may escalate at some point. These ‘low-level’ incidents are often ignored by criminal justice agencies even though they have high impact on disabled people
  • ‘Hotspots’ for targeted violence include: ‘on the street’; in and around home-based settings (particularly in relation to social housing but also including private accommodation); in institutional settings; in schools, colleges and at work; and on public transport
  • Disabled people have a tendency to report incidents to a third party rather than to the police. These third parties are under-studied. Health and social care agencies, housing associations, local authorities, civil justice agencies, voluntary bodies, and others can play an important preventative role.


To read more and to download the full report go to the Equality and Human Rights Commission website

Posted 24th February