From the [London] Times:

Most people with mental health problems are routinely subjected to physical and sexual abuse or theft by their neighbors, a new study indicates.

Nearly three quarters of those suffering from conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia have been victimized in the community at least once in the past two years, with one in ten being sexually assaulted, according to a report by the mental health charity Mind.

A survey by the charity found that 41 per cent of respondents complained of persistent bullying, 27 per cent of sexual harassment and 10 per cent of sexual assault. Just over a third – 34 per cent – said that they had also been victims of theft or financial crime, and a quarter had their homes targeted.

Comparisons with previous studies suggest that the problem is increasing, with the latest figures showing that people with mental health problems are far more likely to be victims rather than perpetrators of violent crime. Yet the study suggests that many crimes go unreported, with vulnerable adults feeling stigmatized by the police and legal system because of their illness.

This entry was posted on Thursday, November 29th, 2007 at 1:55 pm and is filed under abuse, mental health, violence. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.