Violence against elderly in the UK has increased drastically in the past decade, prompting fresh calls for changes in the law to make targeting of the aged a hate crime.
On Monday (15), home secretary Sajid Javid asked the Law Commission to investigate whether ageism and misogyny should be recognised as hate crimes in similar manner as offences motivated by hate based on race, sexual orientation, religion or disability.
The home secretary said: “Hate crime goes directly against the longstanding British values of unity, tolerance and mutual respect, and I am committed to stamping this sickening behaviour out. Our refreshed action plan sets out how we will tackle the root causes of prejudice and racism, support hate crime victims and ensure offenders face the full force of the law.”
It is estimated that about one million older people are victims of sexual, financial, psychological, or physical abuse every year.
According to an Express report, 26 police forces in England and Wales recorded 7,379 violent assaults on over-65-year-olds in 2007. The number of attacks rose to 20,921 in 2016, and the next year the assaults rose again to 26,474. This was an increase of 258 per cent on the figures recorded 10 years earlier.
Besides ageism, there have been growing calls for misogyny to be treated as a hate crime and for street harassment of women to be treated as a specific offence.
The other measure announced by the Home Office include extending its places of worship scheme, which provides funding for protective security measures to religious institutions vulnerable to attack.
The minister for faith, Nick Bourne, said: “Britain is a proudly tolerant nation where everyone has the right to live according to their beliefs. Despite this, in recent years we have seen increased reports of religiously motivated hate crime, intolerance and prejudice.
“The publication of today’s updated plan reaffirms this government’s belief that there can never be an excuse for hatred towards anyone. Wherever we find it, we will oppose it and challenge it.”
