Attitudes, Awareness and Experiences

Equality Awareness Survey 2011

The Survey...
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Attitudes
Towards Equality / Diversity Towards others Perceptions of unfair treatment

Experiences
Unfair Treatment [Economic Downturn]

Awareness & Support

[Equality Laws / Protections] Equality Commission

About the Survey

1100 Adults (16+) Representative of NI. Sample Survey (margins of error) Face to Face (respondents own homes) Fieldwork: Sept 2011 Gender Age LLTI (Disability) Sexual Orientation

Comparative EqAS 2008; 2005 NI Life & Times EuroBarometer Scottish Attitudes etc

BME Group DEMOGRAPHICS Community Education Background Political Affiliation Marital / Civil Status

Household Income Social Class Area of Residence

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Attitudes
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Social attitudes: Question Focus

Support for equality and diversity Attitudes towards specific groups;
General attitudes Attitudes in specific circumstances

Perceptions of who is most unfairly treated in Northern Ireland

Attitudes

Equality & Diversity

6

Importance of Equality

% 91 % 77

-need for equality laws

-strengthen to match GB laws

Importance of Equality Issues

Public support for Diversity

Similar or increasing support for more diversity

Tackling Discrimination
enough being done to fight all forms of discrimination?

% Satisfied 45 % Dissatisfied 35
Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

60%
50%

40%
30% 20%

45%

35%

20% 10%
0% Satisfied Dissatisfied Dont know

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Acceptance of Prejudice
Sometime there is good reason to be prejudiced against certain groups

% Disagreed 54 %Agreed 30
Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

60%
50% 54%

40%
30%

30% 20%
10%

16%

0% Agreed
-10%

Disagreed

Dont know

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Attitudes

General Attitudes
15

Personal Attitudes in General

Generally positive attitudes Most negative attitudes :

% Travellers 30

% Transgender 22 % LGB 15

% E. European Migrants 21

% BME Groups 13

Negative Attitudes (2011)

General (Negative) Attitues: 2011 & 2008
0% Travellers Transgender people E.E. Migrant Workers LGB people BME groups Different Religion Disabled people People under 25 (30) People over 70 Men Women 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

30% 22% 21% 15% 13%

7% 6% 5% 4%
2% 1%

2011 2008

Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

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Negative Attitudes (2011, 2008)

General (Negative) Attitues: 2011 & 2008
0% Travellers Transgender people E.E. Migrant Workers LGB people BME groups Different Religion Disabled people People under 25 (30) People over 70 Men Women 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

30%

15% 13% 7% 6% 4% 5% 7% 4%
7%

20%

22% 21%

28%

21%

2011 2008

5% Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

2% 4% 1%

4%

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Attitudes; Perceptions; Experiences

General Negative Attitudes towards:
Travellers; Transgender; E.E. Migrants; LGB; BME Groups

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES: Stronger negative attitudes more often held by:

males; (vs females) (vs non LLTI) those with LLTI;

from Belfast;

(vs elsewhere)

with no or post primary qualifications. (vs third level)

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Attitudes

Specific Situations
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Attitudes in specific scenarios

Influence of Proximity / Social Distance Would you mind
as a work colleague? as a neighbour? if a close relative married / formed relationship with a member of the specified group.

Would mind Traveller as

% Work colleague 35 % Neighbour 54 % In-law 55

2011: Would you mind? (Work, Neighbour, In-law)

60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Work colleague Neighbour In-law

Traveller Transgender

Lesbian, gay, bisexual

Migrant worker Mental ill health Learning disability Physical disability Different religion

2008-2011: Would Mind

2008
60 55 50 45 40 35 30 60 55 50 45 40

2011

Traveller Transgender Lesbian, gay, bisexual Migrant worker Mental ill health Learning disability Physical disability

35
30 25 20 15 10

25
20 15 10 5 0 Work Neighbour In-law colleague

5
0 Work Neighbour In-law colleague

Different religion
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Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

Attitudes; Perceptions; Experiences

General Negative Attitudes towards:
Travellers; Transgender; E.E. Migrants; LGB; BME Groups

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES: Stronger Specific Negative attitudes more often held by:
LLTI (vs non-LLTI) Belfast Males (vs elsewhere) (vs Females) (vs younger)

Specific Negative Attitudes towards:

Travellers; Transgender; LGB; E.E. Migrants; Mental Ill Health

Older

Higher Paid

(vs lower paid)

Attitudes

Perceptions: Treated Most Unfairly?

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Perceptions of Northern Ireland: Group Treated MOST unfairly

% People aged over 70 15 % LGB; Disabled; Catholics; 13

% 12

Eastern European Migrant workers

2011-2008: Perceived as Treated MOST Unfairly in Northern Ireland

30 25 20
15

Group Percieved to be Treated Most Unfairly (n=1,101)

2008 2011

15 10 5 0

13

13

13

12 8 8 5 5 3 3 1 1

2011-2008: Perceived as Treated MOST Unfairly in Northern Ireland

30 25 20
1515 16 13 12 10 13 13 12 8 5 4 8 6 5 5 3 5 3 0 1 2 1

Group Percieved to be Treated Most Unfairly (n=1,101)

24 2008 2011

15 10 5 0

Attitudes; Perceptions; Experiences

General Negative Attitudes towards:
Travellers; Transgender; E.E. Migrants; LGB; BME Groups

Perceived as treated MOST unfairly

>70 years LGB; Disabled; Catholics; E.E. Migrants

Specific Negative Attitudes towards:

Travellers; Transgender; LGB; E.E. Migrants; Mental Ill Health

Experiences
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Experiences

Unfair Treatment or Harassment

40

Unfair Treatment or Harassment

% - unfair treatment (last 3 years) 33

DEMOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCES: More likely to have experienced unfair treatment:
BME (61%) LGB (53%) Belfast (44%) LLTI (40%)
Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

(vs (vs (vs (vs

Non-BME) Heterosexual) East/West) non-LLTI)

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Attitudes; Perceptions; Experiences

General Negative Attitudes towards:
Travellers; Transgender; E.E. Migrants; LGB; BME Groups

Perceived as treated MOST unfairly

>70 years LGB; Disabled; Catholics; E.E. Migrants BME Groups; LGB; LLTI (Disabled);

Specific Negative Attitudes towards:

Travellers; Transgender; LGB; E.E. Migrants; Mental Ill Health

Most Experience* of Unfair Treatment

* Survey did not allow consideration of Travellers; Transgender or E.E.Migrants

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Unfair Treatment: Making Complaints

% made 21
a complaint
Who? 30-44;45-64 3rd Level Qual Dependents West of NI

Contact the Commission for advice or assistance

Attitudes; Perceptions; Experiences

General Negative Attitudes towards:
Travellers; Transgender; E.E. Migrants; LGB; BME Groups

Perceived as treated MOST unfairly

>70 years LGB; Disabled; Catholics; E.E. Migrants

MOST likely to have complained

30-44; 45-64
3rd Level Quals Dependents: West of NI

Specific Negative Attitudes towards:

Travellers; Transgender; LGB; E.E. Migrants; Mental Ill Health

BME Groups; LGB; LLTI (Disabled);

Most Experience* of Unfair Treatment

* Survey did not allow consideration of Travellers; Transgender or E.E.Migrants

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Experiences

Economic Downturn
48

Impact of Economic Downturn

7% - Lost Job in last 12 months
Most Impacted: LLTI (23%); Lower Social Class (22%); Lower Income (19%); Post Primary or No Quals (1512%)

24% - Reduced Hours

Most Impacted: LLTI (47%); Lower Class (35%); East (29%) Most Impacted: Belfast (42%); Catholics (37%); Males (36%); Dependents (36%); Married/ Civil Partnership/ Cohabiting (35%).
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32% - Pay Cut or Freeze

Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

Awareness
50

equality laws: Question Focus

Awareness / Understanding of equality protections by Grounds and Areas

Awareness / Support for the Equality Commission

Awareness

Equality Laws
52

Awareness of Grounds Protected by Laws

Religion
52%
46% 42% 35% 34% 22% 12%

Age
Disability

Race
Gender

Sexual Orientation
Political views 0 10

20

30 Percent

40

50

60

Awareness of UNCRPD
21% Aware of UN Convention on Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Awareness

Equality Commission
57

Body with Overall responsibility for promoting Equality

% Equality Commission 28
% in 2008, 11% in 2005 30

Next most common response:

% Equal Opportunities Commission 11
(5% in 2008)

Awareness of the Equality Commission

% had heard of the Commission 53

55% in 2008, 58% in 2005

Of those who had heard of ECNI

% indicated they knew something about 72

ECNIs role or work (82% in 2008; 65% in 2005)

Awareness

Confidence in the Commission

61

The Commission...
Majority Support
Treats members of the public equally
Don't know 27%

Respected equally by all sections of the community

Don't know 26% No 11%

Valued source of advice

Don't know 23%

No 4%
Yes 63%

No 6%

Yes 67%

Yes 73%

Equality Awareness Survey 2011. www.equalityni.org/research

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Summary
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Key Findings
Attitudes: positive attitudes dominate
Equality / Diversity: Considerable Support, more to be done Strongest Negative Attitudes: Travellers; Transgender; Eastern European Migrants; LGB. Perceived as Treated Most Unfairly?: Over 70s; LGB; Disabled, Catholics and Migrants

Experiences:
33% experienced unfair treatment; Treated most Unfairly: BME; LGB; LLTI

Awareness & Support:

Commission: Similar Awareness; Majority Support

full & summary research reports (hardcopy & PDF) available via: www.equalityni.org/research
research@equalityni.org
Tel: Fax: Textphone: 028 90 500 600 028 90 315 993 028 90 500 589

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