Help To Cut Harassment Of People With Learning Disabilities

A scheme aimed at tackling harassment of people with a learning disability has been launched in Colburn. Funding from Richmondshire Community Safety Partnership (RCSP) led to the creation of a ‘Keeping Safe’ pack, designed to make it easier for people to inform the relevant authorities of incidents where they have been bullied or the victim of hate crime.

The pack includes a reporting form, information about laws regarding bullying, harassment and hate crime, plus a personal safety card.  The initiative will be available to everyone in Richmondshire, with reporting forms collated by District Council staff.
 
“The Partnership is delighted to support this project – one of the first of its kind, specially focused to help people with a learning disability report incidents of bullying and abuse”, says RCSP Chair, Liz Smith.  “A survey event held last year by the Hambleton and Richmondshire Learning Disability Partnership Board provided clear evidence of the types of bullying experienced by people with a learning disability, and we hope the pack will help reduce harassment by ensuring incidents are reported.”
 
“This pack will also help family and carers, as it sets out what they should do to report an incident of bullying”, adds Dave Hendy, Lead Nurse, Learning Disabilities North Yorkshire & York PCT (Hambleton & Richmondshire), “as well as dispelling the myth that putting up with harassment is just another part of having a learning disability.”