Summary of Anti Racism Campaign Surveys: System Three (June 2002)
This is a summary of independent research by NFO System Three which contributed to the development of the Scottish Executive's anti racism campaign.
A quantitative research exercise, commissioned by the Scottish Executive and conducted in two phases during July and November 2001. Sample sizes were 1,081 and 1,045 respectively.
It aimed to establish the extent to which racism is perceived as a problem in Scotland and also to investigate the prevalence of racist attitudes within the Scottish population.
The second phase was conducted after the death of an asylum seeker in Glasgow and included some amendments to the original questionnaire to take account of recent events.
The second phase showed some strengthening of concerns about racism, increased concern regarding immigration and the growth of EM populations and a strengthening of opinion that the attitudes and behaviour of people from EMG were a contributory factor towards any racial disharmony.
Main Findings of the November Survey:
- 56% of people regarded racism in Scotland is a serious or very serious problem.
- 13% believed that they had been victims of racist abuse.
- 1% of people regarded themselves to be strongly racist
- 24% of people regarded themselves to be slightly racist
- 75% of people regarded themselves to be not racist at all
- There was considerable variance across social groups regarding definitions of what constituted racist behaviour. Tolerance of potentially racist behaviour and reluctance to classify it as such was greater among men than women, among those aged 55 and over and among C2DEs than among ABC1s.
- 4% have perpetrated racist abuse.
- 24% agreed that it was justifiable to verbally attack asylum seekers who get housing and benefits in Scotland.
- 63% agreed that people from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds living in Scotland expected too much help from the government.
- 73% agreed that people from other cultural or ethnic backgrounds could be racist in their attitude towards Scottish people.
However:
- 76% agreed that people in Scotland should do more to stop racism occurring.
- 89% agreed they would be proud to live in Scotland as a country without racism.
View the findings in full:
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