Author: Rehan Hussain

How to spot mate crime

Unexplained injuries.
Being involved in sexual acts which they have not agreed to.
Losing weight.
Not taking care of themselves and looking dirty or scruffy.
Bills not being paid.
A ‘friend’ who does not respect, bullies or undermines the person.
Suddenly short of money, losing possessions or changing their will.
The person ‘doing what they are told to’ by a ‘friend’.
Not family or missing weekly activities.
Goods or packages arriving at a person’s house.

Types of mate crime

There are multiple types of mate crimes, some examples being:
Theft/financial abuse where the abuser demands/receives money without paying it back.
Physical assault/abuse by hurting or injuring the adult.
Harassment and/or emotional abuse used to manipulate the person to make them feel worthless
Sexual assault/abuse to take advantage of the person sexually.

Factors that can impact mate crime

Mate crimes may appear to be invited by the person with a learning disability, raising issues of mental capacity, consent and informed choice.
Mate crimes are likely to occur in private, for example, in people’s own homes, rather than in the public. This includes online crime.
Mate Crimes are unlikely to be disclosed by someone with a learning disability.
This may be not recognising the abuse for what it is, considering the relationship more important than the abuse within it,
embarrassment
shame
retribution.
Mate crimes are likely to occur (though not exclusively) within long-term relationships. These relationships may have started as, or may actually still be, genuine friendships. Even if they are not.

What is mate crime?

Mate crime is when someone says they are your friend, but they do things that take advantage of you, like ask repeatedly for money or favours.
A real friend does not need to be bought. Someone who takes your money, asks you to pay for lots of things or makes you feel uncomfortable is not a real friend.
If someone who says they are your friend hurts you, steals from you or makes you do something you don’t want to do, you should tell someone you trust right away.

What should be done?

If you have experienced a hate crime or mate crime, you probably feel very upset, confused and scared.
Tell someone that you feel comfortable talking to and they will support you to report it to the police.
It might sound scary reporting it to the police, but by doing this, you might help stop these incidents from happening to someone else.
In an emergency phone 999 for the Police.
Or
for non-emergency's call 101
Or
for more information please visit:
https:www.saferbradford.co.uk/report-a-concern

Mate Crime