Published on 12, July, 2020
Please help any suggestions or ideas as we are living a nightmare!
Hello
My name is Mark and I live with my family, two children many animals and my partner whom is a nurse wthin the Wigan Bourough and am a disabled man having autism with dyslexia.
I have been subjected to sporadic bullying and harassment from three of my neighbours for over 10 years.
However during the spring to summer, of 2020 this harassment took a new turn when I was physically assaulted by one of them and two other neighbours became involved in the group harassment.
Then we also had a change of occupancy of two other households. These new neighbours appear to have been recruited by the original protagonists.
This brings the total of harassing group households upto seven.
The incidents have become more frequent in the last few months and the threats have become more violent in nature and with every incident reported to the Pilice and the police being unwilling to prosecute, the protagonists seem to be getting embolden by this apparent impunity.
Some of the attacks we are subject to appear to be coordinated and the Police and council appear to have very little interest (or powers). They keep just saying there is no evidence ( i have supplied them with what i consider reasonable evidence).
The authorities that I have contacted so far, for support seem unable to understand that not only is the crimes against me very difficult for an autistic person to deal with, but so is the need to communicate with the agency itself.
The incidents I have been subject to include:-
This is not an exhaustive list just the low lights of their collective, coordinated and sustained behaviour.
Please can you help we are desperate to be left alone, to live life peacefully and are growing increasingly concerned about their behaviour effecting our 6 year old son and are having issues sleeping and being on high alert is wearing and overwhelming at times.
The police refuse to acknowledge this as a hate crime or investigate the extent of the group aspect and seem disinterested (or powerless), in the bullying and assaulting of a disabled man and his family.
An added complexity but context, to the issue is that the protagonists are on the face of it what the police call " people of good standing " , being retired from work in semi skilled blue and white colour professionals and some still working in none management white collar positions. They all keep their homes neat and tidy and have average cars not luxury just normal entry to mid range vehicles.
So as an autistic individual with high functioning autism and university educated but working as a handy man (I have worked in fund management in past and as a university lecturer but my autism has mentioned I have been unable to sustain a career) locally I appear to be socially subordinate, when the police deal with me. But the reverse is true in terms of my ability to cognitively understand the issues. But the neighbours involved just lie and I am left trying to justify my peacefull, law obiding activities against a set of lies perpetrated on me to cover the protagonists horrid behaviour.
The police have stated to me that because of the number of people saying the same things about me that it does appear I am to blame! These statements leave me sick to my stomach with huge and ever increasing burden of anxiety.
The neighboyrsvtgat do know me also speak of the behaviour of these households as disgusting and that they all appear to have a vendetta against myself and my family just because we are different. But the neighbours that remain supportive don't want to become involved or publicly show support for us as they ( understandably) don't want to be subject to any of the disgusting behaviour we receive.
Please please help us we are desperate for help and support.
Thank you for reading
Mark
Such good news! Here's to these people answering for their crimes!
Update
Today I have been informed by my MP that he has written to Manchester Police to ask for a report.
Regards
Arbor
Thank you
well done u
Hi all,
UPDATE
1. I have now had a reply from two of my local councillors whom are asking question on my behalf of the local council and the actions that the dept, has or hasnt taken.
2. The deputy major on behalf of the major has written to greater Manchester poluce for a full explanation of the action taken so fare.
3. Embrace a charity via Wigan Council has made an initial contact for me to chat about the support they can offer us.
4. I have been in touch with Cit Adv Buroeu and they have given me contacts for probono advice via the university for legal matters.
5. I have written to the "right to review" police dept for a judgement from them about opening the case of physical assault where I received actual body harm from a neighbours attack. I am outside the window of 3 months but I have asked them to waiver this time scale on medical grounds ie my incapacity following the assault to deal with matters. It had the effect of me being unable to function for a number of months.
Thank you sooooooo much for all your kind words it has given me the strength to stand up again and keep praying and keep facing the bullies by pen !
Thank you so much I just needed a hand up of my knees and you all collectively did that ! Being autistic is ace and I love what it brings me in terms of creativity and the amazing way it let's us live but sometimes being without a large circle of friends and wiser family, is hard in times like this ! But I never needed friends as I love the pink clouds in my world !
But sometimes a strangers hand is more powerful than a friends embrace !
Michael your support is very much appreciated and I will keep the thread and yourself updated.
Arbor, just to clarify: according to law, you don't need to provide any evidence to the Police when you report a hate crime. That's down to them to find evidence as they investigate. It's great that you do, but it isn't required of you in order to report the crime. Good luck. I'm keen to know how you get on! I'm also keen to see these nasty folk get their comeuppance.
Thank you Michael much appreciated and I agree with you on all counts. However its just so hard trying to get the type of evidence required by the police and even harder when they seem to refute the evidence that I provide as insufficient. I have been keeping an accurate diary and have installed a CCTV system and now we all wear body cams. Its no way to live though ! The perpetrators all collude and then when police attend the lie and then the police are just unable to act (they claim). Its horrid but we bugger on! I will however use the hate crime report online- thank you
Hello Arbor,This is quite distressing to read (I have deep family ties to Wigan) so this is doubly distressing for me. I can't imagine what it must be like to live through this. You can report hate crimes online here.https://www.gov.uk/report-hate-crimeLots of excellent advice here too: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/hate-crime/problems-reporting-a-hate-incident-or-hate-crime/
I don't understand what is going on with the Police not treating it as a hate crime because the law is quite clear on this matter: "If you tell the police you think something is hate incident, they should record it as such. It doesn’t matter if the police officer dealing with the matter perceives it differently."Hope you find some resolution to all this.Michael
Thank you Aidie your support means more than you know! We are moving in 4 years when we retire but its just not possible at present but I so agree!
Sorry Robert I am just over sensitive at present- my deepest apology
no one should be treated this way.
Time to talk to a solicitor and get a plan to sue the richest one first. Locate and use the police complaints system with the aid of solicitor.
i prioritised these so u focus on the more important ones this doesnt mean the others are not horrible.
This is serious intimidation. If possible Leave. I dont know if you rent or own. I have been subject to intimidation and I moved. Solved everything.
Have you ever been to court ? I have in my past and its stressful even when you win.
The thing here is to get your kids out of this situation otherwise they can turn ( would u blame them ) to violence themselves and that's truly sad.
sorry you and your family are going through this
I apologize for unintentionally offending you. But you can provoke neighbours by just behaving differently from them.
It's a mad world out there. I had plenty of problems with neighbors at my previous house, so I sympathize with you.
Hi
We are hard working law obiding people whom care about people our community and the environment in which we live. We are kind polite and courtesy is a significant part of whom we are.
The gravity of the harrassment that we experience is particularly frustrating, as we believe ourselves to be good people and excellent neighbours.
So in answer to your question, no, I firmly assert we have only committed the social crime of not being mainstream and being, quiet unassuming people, whom keep ourselves to ourselves and deal with all others with tolerance, open mindedness and thoughtful introspection.
The ring leaders of this harrassment are regrettably very unpleasant people.
I have come across incorrectly, if your assuming we provoke others.
We have gone above and beyond to avert such vile behaviour!
Being autistic i have experienced much bullying in my life and judged to be something that i am not, because I am not readable in the way normatrons seem to need. No, I don't provoke others my only crime is being socially blind and lack reprocity in the moment.
I don't deserve to be harassed, bullied, discriminated against and assaulted.
Nor will I keep checking myself against a standard that within normatron circles, is a language and a form of communication that, I can never understand, despite my very best efforts, to help them understand me !
Hi Mark,
I'm pleased to see that so many people have been commenting with advice. You may like to contact our Autism Helpline team who can provide you with information and advice.
https://www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/help-and-support/helpline
You can call them on 0808 800 4104 (Monday to Friday 10 am to 3 pm). Please note that the Helpline is experiencing a high volume of calls and it may take a couple of attempts before you get through to speak to an adviser.
Kindest regards,
Eunice Mod
You have my sympathy, but when did all this start? Did you or your family behave in any way to provoke your neighbors?
What a kind statement, thank you and I will visit each site - thank you
Dear Mark,
I am a person with autism and mental health and this makes my blood boil to hear your story on what you have been through. I feel it is shocking the way you have been treated and proves in today's law system there need to be more innovation in supporting people with disabilities/mental health regarding looking out for hate crime because we cover more and more of the population as time goes on. Peter and Dawn have more understanding of the law compared to myself. I strongly stand with peter's points on how to handle this situation.
I looked up these sites for you:
stop hate crime UK: www.stophateuk.org/.../
Hourglass: wearehourglass.org/physical-abuse
For Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/disabilityhatecrimenetwork/about/
Victim support: www.victimsupport.org.uk/.../
Hopefully, any evidence you currently have could be voiced there.
Please let me know how you get on and if you are in need of any more help.
Thank you and your time is appreciated
Thank you and some sound ideas