The big problem I have with disability charities, user-led charities and indeed protest groups in that they are dependent on the dependency of disabled people for their existence. By dependency I mean a state where someone sees themselves as a victim and unable to make decisions for themselves without the physical or emotional support of a charity.

The charities prefer to keep them dependent on them by teaching them to have goals which they can help with and ensuring the goals are never perceived as achieved like independent living and human rights. Alcohol Anonymous is a perfect example of an organisation that profits from dependency. It teaches people doubt as they label someone as recovering, never recovered and teaches people they need lifelong therapy to make a single decision of not drinking. We don’t talk about recovering smokers!

As independent living, as the inclusion of disabled people into society, becomes a reality and the ‘job’ of the charities comes to an end, they need to put new obstacles in the way. They flocked human rights into a meaningless pulp as it has became an excuse to be dependency, and so all they have now is hate crime. Hate crime is a bogeyman to halt the path of inclusion and for some charities an excuse to lock disabled people away for their protection.

We need to see the damage these charities are doing and demand their closure so disabled people can have the independence their deserve.