MP looks into "disturbing" online abuse of disabled

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones joined three other members of the House of Commons Petitions Committee to meet with disabled people to discuss their experience of online abuse.

The hearing is based on a well-supported public petition and will form part of an inquiry by the committee into the online abuse that disabled people have been subjected to.

People with a range of disabilities and experiences of abuse were invited to Parliament to talk about what it’s like to be disabled online, the challenges that disabled people face when reporting abuse, and what social media companies and the Government should be doing to tackle abuse. 

Ms Jones (pictured) said: "Some of the accounts given by disabled people were very disturbing.

"We really do need social media companies and the Government to do more to protect disabled people online. 

"I welcome the fact that the House of Commons Petitions Committee, disability charities and advocacy groups, and individual disabled people are bringing this very concerning form of online abuse to light."

Petitions Committee chair Helen Jones MP said: “We heard from disabled people themselves about the shocking abuse that they face when they go online.

"We know that it’s not always easy to talk about such difficult experiences, and we’re very grateful indeed to everyone who came to Parliament today to help us with our work.

"The petitions system was set up to help people to have their voices heard in Parliament, so it’s very important to us that the views of disabled people are at the heart of our inquiry."