From visiting the shops to catching public transport, a quarter of the deaf people and people with hearing loss we’ve surveyed said they are ignored in public.
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Being told ‘it doesn’t matter’
Our research shows the enormous impact that the general public’s negative attitudes and behaviour has on the 18 million deaf people and people with hearing loss in the UK.
Sarah, 24, is deaf and works as an audiologist in Erith. Public attitudes towards her impact her life on a daily basis:
“Someone asked for directions. I said, ‘sorry I did not hear everything you said as I am deaf’, and they said, ‘oh, no worries, it doesn’t matter’ and walked away.
This happens so often. Yes, I am deaf and will sometimes miss things. People are not always aware of how to communicate with a deaf person.” Read Sarah’s full story.
Show ‘It does matter’
Read more in-depth
- Read our It Does Matter report PDF for an in-depth look at the experiences our communities face
- We also have a report specifically focused on the experiences of people who use British Sign Language (BSL).
- Explore more stories from our communities.
Show ‘It does matter’
Show ‘It does matter’ if you choose not to speak to someone because you are too embarrassed to ask how best to communicate with them. Help show ‘It does matter’ that you choose to learn some communication tips and basic British Sign Language.