Easy prey
WHEEL POWERBy ANTHONY THANASAYAN
The disabled are targeted by criminals on the prowl. CRIMINALS are coming up with more devious ways to rob unsuspecting victims. What is more troubling is that they have no qualms about targeting the disabled and the elderly.
Even charity-based centres meant to help such people are not spared. Residents of the self-help Independent Living and Training Centre (ILTC) in Rawang, Selangor, were among the latest victims of a broad daylight robbery.
A couple of men in their late 20s posing as potential donors made an unscheduled visit to the disabled residential home one morning. Upon discovering that there were only three persons in the centre at the time – a woman in a wheelchair, a young man with epilepsy and a foreign female volunteer – they yanked out a machete and demanded money.
The robbers relieved the victims at knife-point of cash and valuables. They then walked out calmly so as not to arouse suspicion. The police arrived soon after they were called.
Investigations to nab those responsible for the crime are under way.
“It is regrettable that the handicapped are becoming targets of criminals because we are considered easy prey,” said Francis Siva, president of the ILTC.
Francis, a tetraplegic, was not at the centre when the incident took place. By the time he rushed back, the thieves had long gone. “The disabled (and the elderly) are the most vulnerable to crime and we urge the authorities to prioritise our safety by stepping up measures to protect us,” he added.
Ironically, the president of the ILTC was at a special meeting with the police a couple of weeks earlier to discuss security issues for persons with disabilities.
The gathering which included representatives of the learning disabled. the Deaf and blind, was specially arranged by the Welfare Department in Kuala Lumpur.
The following were some of the main points which were raised with the law enforcement authorities. The blind are especially vulnerable to crime on the streets. Several cases were cited involving so-called “helpful” strangers who offered to help the blind cross the streets.
They either help themselves to the purses, handbags and other personal belongings of their victims right in the streets, or do so after helping them halfway across the street. Whilst the stunned and disoriented victim is left screaming in fear in the middle of the road, the thieves quickly make their disappearance. Cries of help have often fallen on deaf ears.
Massage parlours operated by the blind experience frequent break-ins during the weekends and on holidays. Imposters acting as law enforcement officers present an ID to the blind operators which they can’t verify for authenticity for obvious reasons. They then direct the workers into a room whilst they grab all the valuables and make a run for it.
Blind women are frequent victims of molestations whether it is on the street, in a crowded place or in the passageways of their flats. They find mysterious hands touching their privates. Some of the molestations are repeated regularly, often at the same venue.
Such abuse have occurred so frequently that the blind are terrified to go out of their houses, especially those living alone.
The blind are also frustrated when they are asked to describe their assailants’ identity. They claim that because they are unable to provide such details, their reports are not taken seriously. Report forms given to them to fill up are not in Braille.
The Deaf also face difficulty when dealing with police officers who are not trained in sign language. Hence, they are unable to take down the reports of the Deaf and carry out further investigations. The physically disabled complain that there are no disabled-friendly carparks at police stations. Some of them were asked to park outside the police stations and walk with their crutches all the way to the building.
Here are some of the suggestions made by the disabled groups:
> The crime fighting force should be better educated about the needs of the handicapped.
> Set up special hotlines for the disabled and the elderly so that they can get immediate response when they are in trouble.
> When the police make their rounds in the neighbourhood, they should take a special interest in homes where people with disabilities live, especially those who live alone.
