Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 26. October 3 1977

Abortion Survey

Abortion Survey

The survey which was run in conjunction with the elections was completed by 1179 people. These consisted of 624 males, 345 females and 210 persons who did not indicate their sex. These three categories are hereafter denoted by M, F and N respectively. All figures represent the percentages of each category unless otherwise stated.

Question: Generally speaking, which of the following best describes your opinion? —In favour of abortion-on request —In favour of abortion in certain cases —Not in favour of abortion in any case question not completed Question: In which of the following cases do you think abortions should be allowed? —Rape —Incest —Youth of mother —Advanced age of mother —Pregnancy dangerous to mental wellbeing of mother —Pregnancy dangerous to physical wellbeing of mother —Possibility of child being mentally handicapped —Possibility of child being physically handicapped —Unplanned pregnancy —Size of family —Financial position of mother —In no cases Question: Given that an abortion is legal in any or certain circumstances, who should make the final decision? —Mother —Mother and father —Mother and doctor —Statutory committee and non-voting social worker —Other —Mother, father and doctor* —Undecided M I N Total 36.3 43.9 44.8 40.2 50.6 46.1 43.3 48.1 10.9 8.1 10.5 10.0 2.2 1.9 1.4 1.7 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 66.8 70.7 75.7 69.6 56.9 83.5 64.3 66.0 43.9 69.9 56.7 53.8 42.5 67.8 59.0 52.8 68.9 82.6 72.4 73.5 76.0 90.4 81.0 81.1 57.5 73.9 66.7 64.0 50.6 67.8 61.9 57.7 27.9 51.9 47.6 38.4 30.1 54.5 42.9 39.5 30.1 52.5 47.1 39.7 7.7 6.4 5.2 6.9 13.3 30.1 24.8 20.3 18.1 12.8 16.7 16.3 21.5 29.6 20.5 23.7 6.9 4.1 5.7 5.9 9.1 *0.1 9.0 9.4 23.4 16.2 13.8 19.6 7.5 3.8 10.5 7.0 * This category (mother, father and doctor) was written by so many people under the category other on the questionnaire that it is included as a category on its own in these results. Question: If you are in favour of abortion in any or in some circumstances, do you regard abortion as: —A usual means of 'contraception' 1.8 0.8 1.9 1.4 —A contraceptive back-up 42.0 50.2 46.7 45.8 —An emergency last resort* 14.8 13.9 10.4 13.9 —Other 20.8 20.9 19.8 20.9 question not completed 20.6 14.2 21.5 18.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 * So many people wrote this category in under the 'Other' option, that it has been made a category on its own in these results. Question: Are you aware of the existing laws on abortion? - Yes 68.0 72.3 74.3 70.4 - No 5.0 2.5 1.9 3.7 - Confused 27.0 25.2 23.8 25.9 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 The above question is related to the following one, and so the results of hte next question have been set out to enable comparison between the two.

Question: Which of the following best expresses your opinion with regard to the laws governing abortion:- (I) Those who answered 'Yes' to the previous question: —Agree with present laws 14.2 10.9 9.6 12.3 —Favour stricter laws 17.8 8.5 15.4 14.5 —Favour more liberal laws 37.7 42.2 39.7 39.5 —Repeal all abortion laws 19.7 32.9 26.9 27.5 —Undecided 10.6 5.5 8.4 6.2 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (II) Those who answered 'Confused' to the previous question: —Agree with present laws 6.5 6.7 10.0 7.1 —Favour stricter laws 7.7 6.7 6.0 7.1 —Favour more liberal laws 54.2 47.8 30.0 48.4 —Repeal all abortion laws 8.3 8.9 24.0 11.0 —Undecided 23.3 29.9 30.0 26.4 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (III) The previous two parts together i.e., those who answered 'Yes' or 'Confused' to the previous question: —agree —Agree with present laws 12.0 9.8 9.7 10.9 —Favour stricter laws 14.9 8.0 13.1 12.5 —Favour more liberal laws 42.4 43.7 37.4 41.9 —Repeal all abortion laws 16.4 26.7 26.2 21.3 —Undecided 14.3 11.8 13.6 13.4 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Question: Are you aware of the recommendations of the Royal Commission specifically concerning abortion? —Yes 80.8 85.4 78.6 81.8 —No 4.9 3.6 4.8 4.5 —Confused 14.3 11.0 16.6 13.7 The above question is related to the following one as before. Question: Do you agree with these recommendations? (I) Those who answered 'Yes' to the previous question: —Yes 10.8 4.3 8.5 8.4 —No 59.5 70.8 61.8 63.4 —In Part 25.9 24.6 28.5 25.9 —Undecided 3.8 0.3 1.2 2.3 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (II) Those who answered 'Confused' to the previous question: —Yes 7.4 0.0 0.0 4.2 —No 21.3 33.3 28.6 25.6 —In Part 21.3 25.6 37.1 25.6 —Undecided 50.0 41.1 34.3 44.6 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 (Ill) The previous two parts together * i.e., those who answered either 'yes' or 'Confused' to the previous question: —Yes 10.3 3.8 7.0 7.8 —No 53.8 66.6 56.0 57.9 —In Part 25.2 24.7 30.0 25.9 —Undecided 10.7 4.9 7.0 8.4 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

The comments made by people on the survey were so varied that any attempt to collate them without over-generalisation was found impossible.

We should like to thank all those who helped us both in the running and collating of the survey.

—Sue Hanna

—Louise Dunne

—John Patterson

—Peter Gibbs