What happens when friendship becomes exploitation? The Living Independently & Free from Targeted Abuse (LIFT) research project shines a light on the hidden issue of “mate crime” in Ireland and the experiences of disabled people who have been manipulated, exploited, abused, and targeted by individuals posing as friends. The LIFT research project explores the experiences of disabled people in Ireland who have been subjected to “mate crime”. The project was funded by Research Ireland in partnership with the Policing and Community Safety Authority and was led by Dr Charles O’Mahony, Crime, Punishment and Rights Cluster, School of Law at the University of Galway.

The research examines how relationships that initially appear to be friendships can involve manipulation, coercion, financial exploitation, abuse, violence, sexual violence, and control. It highlights the hidden and under-recognised nature of mate crime and the significant barriers disabled people face in reporting these experiences and accessing justice. The project involved a national survey, focus groups, and key informant interviews with disabled people, advocacy organisations, service providers, academics, and criminal justice stakeholders across Ireland. The findings demonstrate the urgent need for greater recognition of mate crime within policy, law, safeguarding, and policing responses. The research also proposes a practical working definition of mate crime developed through engagement with participants and stakeholders:

Mate crime is when someone acts like your friend, but is really using you for money, a place to stay, or control. It often doesn’t feel like a crime at first because it looks like friendship. There is no single, agreed definition of mate crime. It can take many different forms, including financial exploitation, sexual exploitation, coercion, and situations such as “cuckooing”, where someone takes over a person’s home. It can also include more subtle, forms of pressure or manipulation that build over time. Based on this research, people spoke not only about being used or exploited, but also about feeling unsafe in their communities. Some described incidents in public spaces, online, or in their neighbourhoods that made them feel targeted, isolated, or at risk. These experiences highlight that mate crime is about issues of safety, trust, and belonging.

The project contributes to broader discussions concerning disability rights, community safety, access to justice, safeguarding, autonomy, and law reform in Ireland. A key element of this research project is the collaboration with Blue Teapot Theatre Company, whose work formed an important component of the project. A short film by Blue Teapot Theatre Company titled MATECRIME was also developed as part of the project. The film was informed directly by the lived experiences shared by participants and by the themes emerging from the research, helping to raise awareness and deepen public understanding of mate crime and its impact.