"Mate" (British slang for 'friend') crime perpetrators take advantage of the isolation and vulnerability of their victim to win their confidence.
Mate crime centres around issues of self-belief and self-worth in the vulnerable person.
The National Autistic Society has noted that "Many people with autism desperately want to have friends, but may struggle to know the best ways of starting and maintaining friendships" and are therefore at risk of mate crime abuse.
[4] In 2011 a serious case review following the death of Gemma Hayter found "clear evidence that Hayter was susceptible to abuse, as it was known she had suffered 'mate crime' regularly over some time" and noted that "an overall lack of thoroughness and information-sharing led to 'a number of missed opportunities' to find out what was happening more generally in her life and the company she was keeping".
[5] In the United Kingdom, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advises its staff to avoid using the term "mate crime": People with learning disabilities or mental health issues are often 'befriended' by people who then exploit them.