AUTISM ADVOCACY
Ways to Help Someone
With Special Needs
Spot a Fake Friendship
By Catherine SARGINSON
“Hate crime” is a common term used to describe abusive verbal and physical behavior
which targets someone on the basis of his/her gender, race, religion, disability,
nationality, or sexual orientation. Children and young people on the autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) are also at risk of a more subtle and devious manipulation known as
“mate crime,” a relatively new term to describe a feigned friendship to gain trust with
the specific aim of exploitation.
I
n 2015, a UK autism charity conducted a survey
which found that a high number of people had
been subjected to mate crime; 80 percent of re-
spondents over 16 years old reported that they
had been bullied by someone they thought was
their friend. As people with autism spectrum dis-
order (ASD) commonly face challenges making
friendships, it can be hugely positive when relation-
38 | Autism Parenting Magazine | Issue 65
ships start, names of others are mentioned in conver-
sation, and arrangements to socialize are made. Con-
fusion about what friendship is and how it is formed,
as well as a lack of understanding of social situations
and appropriate interactions can make children and
young people particularly vulnerable to unscrupu-
lous ploys to engage with them and secure their
trust. They are then susceptible to abuse including