hate crime

Psychiatric social worker Wanda Pathomrit helped coordinate the class as part of the Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers’ Stop the Hate project, which provides services and education for hate crime survivors.

Fed up of feeling powerless, I immediately reported the incident as a hate crime - now defined in the UK by law to include perceived hostile acts toward protected characteristics like disability.

Home Office statistics for England and Wales show hate crime continued to rise this year, driven by racial and religious offences.

While recorded disability hate crime fell by 8% in 2025, this follows sharp rises in recent years, and disability charities warn of a distorted picture.

The apparent fall in disability hate crime reports reflects "a lack of confidence in reporting, not a reduction in hostility", says Ali Gunn from disability charity United Response.