Scope employs shock tactics in assault campaign

LONDON - National disability charity Scope is today launching a disturbing cinema ad showing a man in a wheelchair being kicked and beaten, in order to provoke action to combat the large number of assaults committed against the disabled.

The campaign has been developed by integrated agency The Gate to promote the charity's Time to Get Equal Week, which aims to raise awareness of the discrimination faced by disabled people.

Disabled people are four times more likely to be violently assaulted than non-disabled people, according to Scope.

The 30-second spot features CCTV-style footage showing a man in a wheelchair being assaulted, pushed to the ground and then kicked and beaten, before his attacker runs off, leaving him in the street.

The end-frame reads: "Discrimination against disabled people. Stop it. "

Scope violence against disabled

Scope's ad, which launches today, will run in 200 cinemas nationwide throughout Time to Get Equal Week, from June 9-15, and for a further month following the national event.

The ad holds a 12A certificate and will be shown alongside films including 'Sex & the City' and 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'.

Phillip Hawkins, managing director at The Gate, said: "Time to Get Equal Week is an event of national importance -- discrimination against disabled people is a widespread but still unacknowledged problem in the UK.

"We hope that the film we have produced shocks those who see it into understanding that such discrimination is no longer acceptable and encourages them to support Scope's vital work in tackling it."

A series of print ads will also run in selected national press highlighting the major themes of the national awareness week. The ads encourage readers to support Scope in gaining equality for disabled people.

Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Scope, said: "We hope our advertising campaign will make people wake up to the harsh reality of disablism.

"We want people to become more aware of what disabled people often have to endure in our society and to support us to make the changes needed so that disabled people are treated the same as non-disabled citizens in Britain, with full and equal rights."

Disabled people were consulted on the content of all advertising in the campaign.