External research shows just how important our #ImWithSam campaign work is in tackling autism and learning disability hate crime in schools.
The new research from the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ALT) found:
- 85% of education staff want to see education on hate crime, hate speech and discrimination provided through mandatory Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) in schools
- over a fifth believe their students have been victims of hate speech and hate crime in the past year
- three quarters believe that students are bullied because they are seen as different from the norm.
Things need to change.
Testimony Dimensions has received from victims of hate crime shows us that this sort of bullying and abusive behaviour can start at school and follow someone throughout their adult life too.
The consequences can be devastating – leaving people too afraid to leave their homes and sometimes costing people their lives.
Dimensions Chief Executive, Steve Scown, commented “These findings show us how important it is to challenge bullying and intolerance when people are young.
“We already know that children with a learning disability or autism are more likely to be bullied at school and this research underlines the need to do more to tackle negative behaviour in primary and secondary schools.”
Dimensions’ #ImWithSam campaign is working to tackle learning disability and autism hate crime, including work in schools.
We are collaborating with the PSHE Association to develop #ImWithSam learning resources for KS3 students that will challenge stereotypes and encourage positive messages around difference.
You can read more about the experiences of victims of hate crime and what we’re doing about it by visiting our #ImWithSam webpages.