Mate crime – the manipulation of vulnerable people for exploitation, coercion, and abuse – remains significantly underreported in Ireland, a new report has concluded. Research which gathered the views of people with disabilities who have been subject to targeted exploitation and abuse found that the absence of a specific criminal offence or formal recognition of mate crime in Ireland is contributing to the issue remaining largely hidden. Participants in the research described experiences involving online scams, financial exploitation, grooming, coercion, social isolation and situations where individuals posing as friends gradually exploited trust. Many participants did not initially recognise what was happening to them as abuse or exploitation, while others were reluctant to report experiences due to shame, fear of losing friendships or relationships, concerns about not being believed, or worries about justice system responses.
Incidences of abuse included one person telling the research team how they were sexually assaulted by a cousin when they 22. Another described a man who ‘took advantage’. “He knew I was vulnerable, I wasn’t able to stand up for myself and I was a victim of sexual abuse,” they added. One respondent, who worked in homeless services, described a client with an intellectual disability who was ‘preyed upon’ when he went to collect his disability allowance. “His so-called friends would invite him to drink with them and got him to purchase all the alcohol and once he was drunk would take whatever money he had left and convince him the following day that he had spent it all himself. Then they would ignore him until the next Wednesday rolled around.” Another participant said their father took their disability allowance when they were young, while a parent said their daughter’s peer group ‘use her’ for money. “One has even stolen her bank details to make online purchases.” The research involved key interviews with stakeholders from disability services, advocacy organisations, safeguarding teams, policing, and the justice sector, alongside a national survey and focus groups with disabled people and people supporting individuals in the community across Ireland.
Of 44 survey participants, 43 said they had personally experienced or witnessed crime or abuse against a disabled person that they believe may have been due to their disability. Breda Golden, head of safeguarding at disability services body Corlann, said: “At Corlann, we see how disabled people can be placed at risk simply because they are seeking connection, support, or community. “Disabled people in Ireland are being targeted, exploited, and harmed in ways that are too often dismissed or ignored. Mate crime is not a misunderstanding, it is abuse. We need increased awareness and coordinated safeguarding action so disabled people are no longer left to navigate danger alone.” Participants described experiences of exploitation leading to financial hardship, loss of confidence, fear, emotional distress, social isolation, and significant negative impacts on independent living and participation in their community.
Stakeholders and participants strongly agreed that the issue remains significantly underreported. “This research highlights that many disabled people in Ireland are experiencing serious forms of exploitation and abuse that frequently remain hidden,” said Dr Charles O’Mahony, associate professor in the School of Law at University of Galway and principal investigator on the project. “What makes this particularly complex is that the abuse often develops within relationships presented as friendship, support, care, or trust. The findings demonstrate the need for better safeguarding responses, better awareness, a more accessible justice system, and greater community understanding of how mate crime can occur.” The report includes recommendations relating to disability awareness training, safeguarding legislation, accessible reporting mechanisms, online safety, and stronger coordination between disability organisations, advocacy groups, community services, and An Garda Síochána. The project was funded by Research Ireland in partnership with the Policing and Community Safety Authority (PCSA). Read: Living Independently & Free from Targeted Abuse (LIFT): Understanding Mate Crime and the Experiences of Disabled People.