Face Equality Week 2022

The 16^th – 20^th May 2022 marks this year’s face equality week with the theme being staring.

The aim of this week is to raise awareness and educate people about how staring is a problematic behaviour and one that many people who have facial marks, scars or conditions feel negatively effects their mental health.

A survey carried out by the charity Changing Faces has suggested that people with visible differences on their face or elsewhere have experienced an increase in hostile behaviour when going out in public over the past few years.

Further research, carried out by ComRes in 2019, found that most hostile behaviours come from strangers with 6 in every 10 respondents saying they have experienced this when in public.

Half of over 1,000 people surveyed with a mark, scar or condition have said that they have felt self-conscious or embarrassed as a result of the way they look. A further finding of this study is that almost a third of people with a visible difference feel they are stared at when they go out in public.

No one should be made to feel insecure or uncomfortable when going about their day and it is clear that when people stare, this can even perhaps have the same effect as a negative comment.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) aims to provide compensation to people who have sustained a physical and/or psychological injury as a result of a violent crime. Within the CICA’s tariff of injuries is scarring.

Whether this be to the face or elsewhere on the body, the CICA understand the impact a scar can have on a person which is why they are able to make awards of compensation for this through their scheme.

Whilst there is no amount of money that can fully compensate someone for the effects of the violent crime they have suffered, claiming compensation may be able to assist in the healing process and aid an applicant with moving past the incident.

For this method of claiming the limitation period is two years, meaning an applicant has two years from the date of the incident to bring forward a claim. As such, if you feel you may be entitled to some compensation for what you have been through and the injuries you have sustained, it may be worth making an enquiry to see where you stand and the options available to you.

Further reading

To learn more about the Criminal Injury Compensation Authority, read our guide to the CICA here.

CICA website (.Gov)

WHAT TO DO NEXT

For any information about bringing a CICA claim, get in touch today for a free consultation. Choose one of the methods on the right-hand side of this page, or call us on 0113 200 9787 to find out how we can help you.