Includes bibliographical references (pages 248-271) and index.

The scapegoating of Kevin Davies -- The Greek and Roman legacy -- Sin, disability and witch-hunting -- The Industrial Revolution, asylums, and freak shows -- No better than poison : the eugenics movement and the Holocaust -- Scandalous institutions -- Brave new world? -- The terroring of Raymond Atherton : freedom's betrayal -- Steven Hoskin and the case of the invisible crime -- Brent Martin and the tipping point that never was -- The humiliation of Christine Lakinski : women and children first -- The hounding of Fiona Pilkington : the hidden victims of hate crime -- Multi-agency chaos : Michael Gilbert and the failure of safeguarding -- Mate crime : the importance of friendship -- Motivations -- Locations -- Leading the world? -- Not them but us : society's challenge -- Ways forward.

A ground-breaking portrait of the way our society treats some of its most disadvantaged members, Quarmby's book is the first to examine the roots of our uncomfortable and often hostile attitudes towards disabled people, and to argue for greater official recognition of these crimes as hate crimes.