DISABLED people in York are meeting with the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire today.

York Independent Living Network (YILN) works to discuss the experiences of disabled people and their families in York, and to raise awareness of disability hate crime and how to report it.

Members of the group will meet Julia Mulligan at the Priory Street Centre to discuss a grant for a new project to help them carry out their work - Keeping York Safe For Disabled People.

Marije Davidson, YILN chair, says: “Disabled people’s fear of abuse, harassment and crime can keep them in their house or they avoid places in York. Too often, nothing is done about this – either because people don’t realise it is not acceptable or because they do not know what to do.

"We want to highlight their experiences and encourage reporting. Through this project, we will help local authorities to respond more effectively. In the end, we want the local community to stand up against abuse of disabled people and to increase disabled people’s confidence to go out, play an active role in their community and contribute even more to the local economy.”

Julia Mulligan said: “North Yorkshire currently ranks as the safest place in England. Nevertheless there is always more that can be done to help vulnerable people be safer and partake in society.

“York Independent Living Network is a well established group which is already doing a great deal to enable disabled people to be independent and participate fully in the community. With this grant, they will be able to do even more to understand and tackle a vicious form of hate crime that can severely affect confidence and impact its victims’ quality of life.”