[guide.chat] news disablity abuse
- From: vanessa <qwerty1234567a@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "GUIDE CHAT" <guide.chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2012 09:39:10 +0100
Disabled suffer 'shocking' abuse
Tuesday 31 July 2012 by Will Stone, Health & Social Affairs Reporter Printable
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Disabled people are facing more discrimination than ever due to being deemed
"benefit scroungers," a charity said today.
Despite the London Paralympics being just around the corner many disabled
people in Britain have said people's attitudes towards them have got worse,
Scope warned.
The vast majority of hundreds of disabled people surveyed revealed that people
assume they do not work, while respondents also agreed that coverage about
"benefit scroungers" has negatively affected attitudes.
But while "scroungers" represent a tiny fraction when compared to genuine
claimants, increasing numbers of disabled people are being confronted by
strangers in the street who are questioning their right to support.
One disabled person reported that he was punched in the face by a man who said
that "a spazz like him shouldn't be going out with a pretty girl."
Another said they were asked if they use their "sympathy sticks" (crutches) all
of the time.
A third responded: "They tried to shove my power-chair off the kerb and said
I'm just a scrounger and want attention."
Scope is launching a drive to promote more positive portrayals of disabilities
at a time when London is hosting the Paralympics and disabled athletes take
centre stage.
Scope head Richard Hawkes said: "It is absolutely shocking that in 2012 almost
half of disabled people feel attitudes have got worse and many have experienced
aggression, hostility or name calling from other people.
"This backdrop of negativity will only make it harder for disabled people to
overcome the many barriers they face when it comes to getting on with their
lives.
"That is why the Paralympics presents a once-in-an-lifetime opportunity to stop
this deterioration and leave a lasting legacy of improved attitudes towards
disability."
The government's own figures show that a tiny 0.5 per cent of disability living
allowance expenditure went on fraudulent claims.
They also show that only two per cent of the total benefit expenditure was
overpaid due to fraud and error across the Department for Work and Pensions
(DWP).
The DWP admitted that it needs to do more to change negative attitudes.
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