Research Help

Hello everyone,

My name is Tom. I'm a student in the UK and I've been tasked with delivering a presentation about people with voice problems, specifically relating to how they are treated with regards to the law.

I would be very appreciative if anyone could take a few minutes to answer some questions. The project stipulates that it must be about people who have voice probelms to the point of either being completely without voice, or severely imparied so that the use of typical telephone equipment is impossible.

Many thanks in advance to anyone who can help. You need not answer every question, but if you can answer any of them, your input is most welcome.

1. Are people who are without the ability to speak particularly vulnerable to any specific types of crime?

2. Have you experienced any prejudice because of your voice problems? I'm sure this is unfortunately a regular occurence for many of you, but have do any encounters particularly stand out because of their severity, to the point where you would class, or almost class them as a hate crime?

3. How do you communicate on a day to day basis with people that you know, and people that you encounter in day to day life? I know sign language may be the answer for many, but I'm interested to know how people who may have lived the majority of their adult life without voice problems cope when they suddenly find themselves without the ability to speak.

4. If your voice problems mean that you are unable to shout for help, if you aren't at home, do you have any means of drawing attention to yourself, or self defence in the event of being attacked?

5. Similarly if you are at home, what means of self protection do you employ, and how would you contact the emergency services if you needed help?

6. Do you feel that the emergency services, the police in particular, do enough to make themselves available to you, and to be able to deal with you in the manner that you require?

7. Have you had any experiences, good or bad, with the police? How did they help you, or not? Where did they excel, or how could they have performed better?

8. If you have had dealings with the police, did they provide someone who could communicate with you effectively in a timely manner?

9. Are there any particularly pertinent cases that you know of where someone with voice problems has been a victim of crime?

If there is anything that you wish to add from your own experiences that isn't covered here, then please by all means add it on. This presentation will be delivered to a group of police officers, so while it may not change the world, it may plant a seed of change if it's needed.

My thanks again for your time.