Beyond doubt: the experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission has completed research into the experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime.

Launched by Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Ken Lay on 21 July 2014, the report entitled Beyond doubt: the experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime is now available.

It documents the experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime and looks at both police practice and the upstream and downstream factors that affect reporting.

See Beyond doubt: the experiences of people with disabilities reporting crime

Come in, we're accessible: improving accessibility in retail and hospitality

788,000 people move around the City of Melbourne (including the CBD) each day. The city also has a resident population of 23,000. Around 18 per cent of Victorians have a disability. While not all people with disability may experience access barriers, potentially around 140,000 daily visitors, and 4,000 city residents could benefit from a fully accessible environment.

Inaccessibility has a negative effect on businesses in the central business district and the city economy because customers, who could be accessing goods and services, may not do so if faced with accessibility barriers, be they physical, communicational or attitudinal.

In 2013 the Commission met with local businesses in the Melbourne CBD to hear about their experiences providing services to customers with disabilities. We found varying levels of understanding among businesses and staff about accessibility, customers’ communication needs and how they can improve customer service for people with disabilities, older people, parents or carers.

On 27 October 2014 the Commission launched the Come in... we're accessible online resource which provides information to businesses - owners, landlords, managers and staff - on how they can improve accessibility to meet their obligations under the Equal Opportunity Act. The resource includes a self -assessment so businesses can find out how accessible they currently are, as well as a suite of fact sheets including one for customers with disabilities.

See Come in, we're accessible: improving accessibility in retail and hospitality

Anti-Hate Spray

The ‘Anti-Hate Spray’ campaign is part of the Commission’s work to address vilification, hate and other forms of discrimination.

The campaign was developed in response to our own research as well as academic work on preventing and responding to discrimination. We also drew on data from the complaints we receive at the Commission, as well as working closely with community and stakeholders on the Reporting Racism Reference Group.

The campaign is aligned with the National Anti-Racism Strategy and No To Homophobia campaign. Other supporters include the Victorian Multicultural Commission, Multicultural Arts Victoria as well as Victorian Government departments and agencies.

The campaign is designed to make it easy for people to do something without feeling afraid or that they are being judged. Importantly, one of its key aims is to reach people where they are – and where much of the discrimination is now occurring – online.

It also provides a place for people who would usually be unable, or unwilling, to make a formal report to let us know about their experiences.

See Anti-Hate Spray

Desperate measures: relinquishment of children with disability into state care

The Commission has been researching the issues faced by families relinquishing children with disability into state care and has produced a report: Desperate measures: The relinquishment of children with disability into state care in Victoria. This follows concerns raised by the Commission’s Disability Reference Group, warning that families may be surrendering their children because they are not given enough support to continue full-time caring.

See Desperate measures: relinquishment of children with disability into state care

Time to respond

When you have a disability, taxi services are a critical means of public transport. Melbourne’s bus, tram and train networks will not be completely accessible for another twenty years. The Time to Respond reports discuss that despite recent reform to the taxi industry, waiting times and reliability continue to be serious barriers to accessible taxi services for people with disabilities.

See Time to respond