| Safeguarding Adults Awareness Week (SAAW) runs from 8 to 12 October and is an opportunity to raise awareness of how to recognise the different types of adult abuse and what to do if you believe someone is being abused or is at risk of being abused.
Kent Police are working with partner agencies, including Kent County Council and the Kent and Medway Safeguarding Adults Board to raise awareness of various types of abuse. Each day this week we will be selecting a theme to provide information and guidance on.
The various themes we will be focusing on this week include:
- Mate crime
- Self-neglect and hoarding
- Scamming and online fraud
- Domestic abuse
- Modern slavery and human trafficking
Today’s theme is Mate Crime
Mate Crime occurs when someone ‘makes friends’ with a person and goes on to abuse or exploit that relationship. The founding intention of the relationship, from the point of view of the perpetrator, is likely to be criminal. The relationship is likely to be of some duration and, if unchecked, may lead to a repeat and worsening abuse and in some cases death.
Mate crime can happen to anyone but children, older people and persons with a physical disability or a mental illness are more vulnerable to Mate Crime.
“9 out of 10 people with a disability have been a victim of bullying or hate crime” (Papworth Trust)
‘Cuckooing’ is perhaps one of the more common example of a type of mate crime. Cuckooing occurs most commonly when a drug dealer ‘befriends’ vulnerable individuals and then takes over their home and turns it into a drug den.
Who commits Mate Crime?
- It could be a someone at work
- a care or support worker
- someone at school or college
- a family member
- someone you live with
- a ‘friend’
What to do if you’re a victim of suspect someone?
Agencies to contact:
Support for victims:
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