JustBeingCP

It has been revealed through some research that 75% of the U.K.’s disabled population have experienced negative attitudes towards them this year alone.

This research was carried out by scope- The U.K.’s leading disability charity.

Scope spoke with 4015 disabled adults and carried out 100 telephone interviews as part of this research.

They also held focus groups with 24 disabled adults to gather their experiences of being negatively thought upon by the rest of society.

The research concluded that 87% of those targeted found that the experience had a negative impact on their daily lives.

It had affected them being able to complete daily activities within education, employment and socialising.

If I had been interviewed as part of this research I would’ve been added to that figure because I have been worried about using public transport to get out and about because of the incident that I’ve spoken about below.

Those interviewed as part of this research by scope said that they had been victims of people staring at them and also scepticism.

Unfortunately I have been stared at in the street by people because they don’t know why I’m in a wheelchair and are too scared to ask the reason why.

The research also found that family (29%), friends (25%) and partners (27%) could display negative attitudes towards the disabled person.

My ex-girlfriend displayed negative attitudes towards me because of my disabilities so I know all too well what that feels like.

The survey reinforced suggestions that negativity towards the disabled community has risen during the coronavirus pandemic.

23% of those surveyed said they avoided using public transport because of the negative attitudes that they had received from members of the public.

These figures make me incredibly sad and angry because we shouldn’t feel beaten by these negative attitudes as a disabled community when life is already hard enough.

I am one of that 75% who has received negativity from members of the public this year because I am in a wheelchair and live with a disability.

In July this year I was a victim of an horrendous hate crime that I’ve spoken about in a previous blog. A man on a train decided to launch a verbal attack on me and my friend.

On Saturday, the 6th of August 2022 when I was returning from the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games on a train from Birmingham new Street to Hereford.

A man decided to call me a P***y H**E and then went on to tell me so cross my legs get out my wheelchair and off the train so that he could fight me.

At the time of the incident I didn’t react because I was so scared and shocked and this caused him to tell me that he would spit at me.

I am also subjected to abuse on social media either on a daily or weekly basis just because I have a disability and this leaves me questioning who I am.

It doesn’t surprise me that 75% of the disabled community in the United Kingdom have been on the receiving end of hate and negativity this year.

The incident that I referred to on the 6th of August has led to me deciding to use a body camera whilst out and about to capture any incidences of this nature that I experience.

I used to believe that it was children and young people who launched this kind of abuse at the disabled community but I now believe that it could also be adults who do not understand how to interact with us as a community.

I am fed up of receiving abuse from members of the general public just because I have a disability and use a wheelchair.

I would like to see a drastic improvement in how the disabled community are treated by members of our society in both England and the other devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

I hope to see this figure dramatically decrease in the next couple of years because at the end of the day everybody should be accepted within society for just being themselves.

Tune in to ITV news Central at 6 pm this evening to find out more about my experiences of being treated negatively by members of our society.

As always I would like to take this opportunity to thank both my readers and followers for taking the time out of your busy schedules to read my latest blog on a subject that is incredibly close to my heart.

Cam