| SECTION
ONE - THE STATISTICS
Question 1(a) Would you
consider yourself: pro-choice; pro-life;
somewhere between; unsure?
Total sample
Pro-choice 76%
Pro-life 4%
Somewhere between 13%
Unsure 7%
University students
Pro-choice 75%
Pro-life 6%
Somewhere between 19%
Unsure 0%
School students
Pro-choice 76%
Pro-life 3%
Somewhere between 11%
Unsure 10%
Key statistics
- three quarters of students
define themselves as pro-choice.
This is the case for both school and university age students.
- a small minority of students
say they are pro-life.
Question 1(b) Do you agree
that women should have access to legal
abortion as stated under the [1967 Abortion] Act? (law supplied)
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
Agree with the 1967 Act
|
45.2
|
|
1967 Act is too strict
|
32.7
|
|
1967 Act is too permissive
|
12.9
|
|
Abortion should be illegal
|
2.7
|
|
Don't Know
|
6.5
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category
|
Agree with 1967 Act
|
1967 Act is too strict
|
1967 Act is too permissive
|
Abortion should be illegal
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
48.2
|
40.7
|
5.0
|
0
|
6.1
|
|
Pro-Life
|
10.0
|
0
|
30.0
|
60.0
|
0
|
|
Between
|
34.3
|
8.6
|
51.4
|
0
|
5.7
|
|
Undecided
|
52.6
|
10.5
|
15.8
|
5.3
|
15.8
|
University students (by
category)
|
Category
|
Agree with 1967 Act
|
1967 Act is too strict
|
1967 Act is too permissive
|
Abortion should be illegal
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
56.9
|
34.5
|
3.4
|
0
|
5.2
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
0
|
40
|
60
|
0
|
|
Between
|
53.3
|
0
|
40
|
0
|
6.7
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School students (by category)
|
Category
|
Agree with 1967 Act
|
1967 Act is too strict
|
1967 Act is too permissive
|
Abortion should be illegal
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
44.7
|
43.3
|
5.7
|
0
|
6.3
|
|
Pro-Life
|
20
|
0
|
20
|
60
|
0
|
|
Between
|
20
|
15
|
60
|
0
|
5
|
|
Undecided
|
52.6
|
10.5
|
15.8
|
5.3
|
15.8
|
Key statistics
- the majority of students
take a liberal approach to abortion law.
Over three quarters of both school and university age students
say
they agree with the 1967 Act, or think the law is too restrictive.
- Of those students who
say they are pro-choice, nearly one half
agree with the law as it stands and over one third think
the law is too
restrictive.
- Of those students who
say they are pro-life, less than two thirds
think that abortion should be illegal. The remainder say
that the
current law is too permissive or (at school age) say they
agree
with the Abortion Act.
Question 2: What is your
personal view of abortion?
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
Abortion is necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancy
|
30.0
|
|
Abortion is important as it allows women to decide
|
24.0
|
|
Abortion should be allowed in restricted cases (e.g
after rape)
|
31.9
|
|
Abortion is unnecessary and should be made illegal
|
3.8
|
|
Don't Know
|
10.3
|
Total Sample (by category)
|
Category
|
Abortion is necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancy
|
Abortion is important as it allows women to decide
|
Abortion should be allowed in restricted cases (e.g
after rape)
|
Abortion is unnecessary and should be made illegal
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
37.7
|
29.6
|
21.1
|
0
|
11.6
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
80
|
0
|
|
Between
|
0
|
5.7
|
85.7
|
2.9
|
5.7
|
|
Undecided
|
21.1
|
10.5
|
52.6
|
5.3
|
10.5
|
University students (by
category)
|
Category %
|
Abortion is Necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancy
|
Abortion is important as it allows women to decide
|
Abortion should allowed in restricted cases (e.g
after rape)
|
Abortion is unnecessary and should be made illegal
|
Don't know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
36.2
|
50
|
6.9
|
0
|
6.9
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
80
|
0
|
|
Between
|
0
|
13.3
|
66.7
|
6.7
|
13.3
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School students (by category)
|
Category %
|
Abortion is Necessary to prevent unwanted pregnancy
|
Abortion is important as it allows women to decide
|
Abortion should allowed in restricted cases (e.g.
after rape)
|
Abortion is unnecessary and should be made illegal
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
38.3
|
21.3
|
27
|
0
|
13.4
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
0
|
20
|
80
|
0
|
|
Between
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
0
|
0
|
|
Undecided
|
21.1
|
10.5
|
52.6
|
5.3
|
10.5
|
Key statistics
- The majority of students
say they think abortion is necessary
to prevent unwanted pregnancy or that it is important to
allow
the woman to decide the circumstances of pregnancy.
- more pro-choice university
age students than school students
think that allowing the woman to decide is most important.
- one fifth of pro-life
school and university students think
that abortion should be allowed in certain circumstances.
Question 3: Do you think
that the time limit in the law for abortion
for health and social reasons should be lower than 24 weeks?
(categorized)
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of sample
|
|
Yes, it should be decreased
|
24.0
|
|
No, it should stay the same
|
47.9
|
|
No, the time limit should be more than 24 weeks
|
10.3
|
|
Don't know
|
17.8
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category
|
Yes it should be decreased
|
No It should stay the same
|
No the time limit should be more than 24 weeks
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
17.6
|
52.3
|
11.6
|
18.5
|
|
Pro-Life
|
50
|
30
|
0
|
20
|
|
Between
|
48.6
|
31.4
|
2.9
|
17.1
|
|
Undecided
|
31.6
|
42.1
|
15.8
|
10.5
|
University Students (by
category)
|
Category %
|
Yes, it should be decreased
|
No, it should stay the same
|
No, the time limit should be more than 24 weeks
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
20.7
|
46.5
|
12.1
|
20.7
|
|
Pro-Life
|
60
|
0
|
0
|
40
|
|
Between
|
66.7
|
20
|
0
|
13.3
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School Students (by category)
|
Category %
|
Yes, it should be decreased
|
No, it should stay the same
|
No, the time limit should be more than 24 weeks
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
16.3
|
54.6
|
11.4
|
17.7
|
|
Pro-Life
|
40
|
60
|
0
|
0
|
|
Between
|
35
|
40
|
5
|
20
|
|
Undecided
|
31.6
|
42.1
|
15.8
|
10.5
|
Key statistics
- just under half of the
respondents thought that the legal time
limit of 24 weeks for abortion for health and social reasons
should stay the same.
- of those pro-choice students
who did not think the limit
should be 24 weeks, more thought it should be decreased
than increased.
- a significant proportion
of pro-life students did not opt
for decreasing the time limit, with nearly two-thirds of
pro-life school students saying, of the options given,
they agreed with the 24 week limit.
Question 4: Do you agree
or disagree with the law
[regarding abortion for fetal abnormality]? (Law supplied)
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
No, abortion for fetal abnormality should be illegal
|
9.5
|
|
Yes, I agree abortion for fetal abnormality should
be allowed
|
76.0
|
|
Don't Know
|
14.5
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category
|
No, abortion for fetal abnormality should be illegal
|
Yes, I agree abortion for fetal abnormality should
be allowed
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
5
|
81
|
14
|
|
Pro-Life
|
70
|
20
|
10
|
|
Between
|
14.3
|
74.3
|
11.4
|
|
Undecided
|
15.8
|
57.9
|
26.3
|
University students (by
category)
|
Category %
|
No, abortion for fetal abnormality should be illegal
|
Yes, I agree abortion for fetal abnormality should
be allowed
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
3.4
|
86.25
|
10.35
|
|
Pro-Life
|
100
|
0
|
0
|
|
Between
|
26.7
|
60
|
13.3
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School students (by category)
|
Category %
|
No, abortion for fetal abnormality should be illegal
|
Yes, I agree abortion for fetal abnormality should
be allowed
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
5.7
|
78.7
|
15.6
|
|
Pro-Life
|
40
|
40
|
20
|
|
Between
|
5.0
|
85
|
10
|
Key statistics
- the majority of students
think that abortion for abnormality
should be allowed as stated in the 1967 Abortion Act.
- a small proportion of
pro-choice students think that
abortion for abnormality should be illegal.
- an equal proportion of
pro-life school students think abortion
for abnormality should be illegal and think it should be
legal.
Question 5: At present
the decision about whether to allow
termination [where fetal abnormality is detected] is decided
by the doctor's judgement and the feelings of the pregnant
woman, do you think that:
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
This law should stay the same
|
37.6
|
|
There should be a list of conditions drawn up which
spells out sufficient grounds for termination
|
12.2
|
|
It should left to the mother to decide
|
41.1
|
|
Don't Know
|
9.1
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category %
|
This law should stay the same
|
There should be a list of conditions drawn up which
spells out sufficient grounds for termination
|
It should be left to the mother to decide
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
33.3
|
9.2
|
52.5
|
5.0
|
|
Pro-Life
|
40
|
20
|
0
|
40
|
|
Between
|
50
|
15
|
30
|
5
|
|
Undecided
|
52.6
|
15.8
|
10.5
|
21.1
|
University students (by
category)
|
Category %
|
This law should stay the same
|
There should be a list of conditions drawn up which
spells out sufficient grounds for termination
|
It should be left to the mother to decide
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
39.7
|
10.3
|
44.8
|
5.2
|
|
Pro-Life
|
20
|
20
|
0
|
60
|
|
Between
|
40
|
33.3
|
0
|
26.7
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School students (by category)
|
Category %
|
This law should stay the same
|
There should be a list of conditions drawn up which
spells out sufficient grounds for termination
|
It should be left to the mother to decide
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
35.2
|
9.5
|
50.3
|
5
|
|
Pro-Life
|
30
|
20
|
0
|
50
|
|
Between
|
45.7
|
22.9
|
17.1
|
14.3
|
|
Undecided
|
52.6
|
15.8
|
10.5
|
21.1
|
Key statistics
- most students take a liberal
approach to abortion law,
and this would appear to include their views regarding
the law on abortion for abnormality. The majority think
decision making in abortion for abnormality it should be
left to the woman or that the law should stay the same.
- over a half of pro-choice
students think the decision
about whether to abort when the fetus is abnormal
should be left to the woman alone to decide.
- of the options available,
most pro-life students said
they did not know what they thought about decision
making, and one fifth supported a list of abnormalities
drawn up by law as suitable grounds for termination.
Question 6: Which
kinds of abnormality do you personally think
are acceptable grounds for termination?
(you can choose up to three options)
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
A painful life for the child
|
71.9
|
|
(Mother's life in danger)*
|
57.8
|
|
Woman decides
|
39.2
|
|
Disfigurement
|
25.5
|
|
Down's syndrome
|
11.4
|
|
None
|
6.5
|
|
Don't know
|
4.2
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category
|
A painful life for the child
|
(Mother's life in danger)*
|
Woman decides
|
Disfigure -ment
|
Down's syndrome
|
None
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
33.7
|
27.8
|
20.35
|
11.8
|
4
|
1.35
|
1
|
|
Pro-Life
|
10
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
30
|
60
|
0
|
|
Between
|
34.6
|
25.4
|
9.3
|
16
|
9.3
|
4
|
1.4
|
|
Un-decided
|
30.5
|
25
|
13.85
|
5.6
|
5.6
|
5.6
|
13.85
|
University Students (by
category)
|
Category
|
A painful life for the child
|
(Mother's life in danger)*
|
Woman
decides
|
Disfigure -ment
|
Down's syndrome
|
None
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
31.53
|
26.1
|
23.42
|
11.7
|
4.5
|
0 0
|
2.75
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
8 80
|
20
|
|
Between
|
35.7
|
21.4
|
10.7
|
10.7
|
10.7
|
7.14
|
3.66
|
|
Un-decided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School Students (by category)
|
Category
|
A painful life for the child
|
(Mother's life in danger)*
|
Woman decides
|
Disfigure -ment
|
Down's syndrome
|
None
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
34.5
|
28.2
|
19.3
|
12
|
3.9
|
1.8
|
0.3
|
|
Pro-Life
|
16.65
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
50
|
33.35
|
0
|
|
Between
|
34
|
27.6
|
8.6
|
19.18
|
8.5
|
2.12
|
0
|
|
Un-decided
|
30.55
|
25
|
13.9
|
5.6
|
5.6
|
5.6
|
13.75
|
* included for comparison
Key statistics
- abnormalities which meant
the child would be in pain
during its life was most commonly chosen as an
acceptable ground for abortion for abnormality.
- over one third of students
picked 'the decision
on whether to have an abortion should be left
to the woman' in their top three options.
- a relatively small proportion
chose Down's
syndrome as an acceptable ground for abortion
for abnormality among their three highest placed
options; interestingly a smaller number than that
which chose disfigurement.
Question 7: Do you think
that improvements in the
treatment of disease which may advance life
expectancy will affect your attitude towards
abortion for fetal abnormality?
Total sample (by response)
|
Response
|
% of Sample
|
|
Yes
|
26.2
|
|
No
|
27.8
|
|
Don't Know
|
46.0
|
Total sample (by category)
|
Category %
|
Yes
|
No
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
26.1
|
29.1
|
44.8
|
|
Pro-Life
|
11.1
|
55.6
|
33.3
|
|
Between
|
44.1
|
23.5
|
32.4
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
University Students (by
category)
|
Category %
|
Yes
|
No
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
22.4
|
36.2
|
41.4
|
|
Pro-Life
|
0
|
75
|
25
|
|
Between
|
57.1
|
28.6
|
14.3
|
|
Undecided
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
School students (by category)
|
Category %
|
Yes
|
No
|
Don't Know
|
|
Pro-Choice
|
27.7
|
26.2
|
46.1
|
|
Pro-Life
|
20
|
40
|
40
|
|
Between
|
35
|
20
|
45
|
|
Undecided
|
5.3
|
10.5
|
84.2
|
Key statistics
- the largest proportion
of students did not know
what they thought about the impact of potential
improvements in treatment of disease on their
views about abortion for abnormality.
- a similar proportion
of students thought it would
and thought it would not affect their opinions.
Comment
From the survey results,
the overriding impression is
that students take a liberal attitude towards abortion
law. The majority believe that abortion should be
legal; a significant number think that the current law is
too
restrictive. A significant number of students who say
they are pro-life think abortion should be legal in some
circumstances.
With regard to time limits,
the answers given by
pro-choice students appeared to be somewhat
contradictory. Where one third of pro-choice
students answered that they thought the law was
too restrictive, only 11.6 per cent thought the time
limit for abortion should be more than 24 weeks.
This may indicate a certain discomfort with idea of
late term abortion.
We found that a liberal
approach to the law did
also extend to the law on abortion for abnormality.
Most thought that the law should allow abortion
where the fetus was abnormal, and many thought
that decision making on whether to abort where the
fetus was abnormal should be left to the woman.
From these results it is
therefore clear that students
do not support a restrictive legal framework on
abortion, including abortion for abnormality.
Given that other research has identified a lack of
support for abortion for abnormality, we decided to
carry out some further research, in the form of an
interview study, to try to find out more about young
people's attitudes to abortion, and in particular
abortion for abnormality, rather than simply their
attitudes to the law.
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