Australian Bureau of Statistics Personal Safety Household Survey. Did it make you uncomfortable?

ABS insisted our household take part in this survey. Upon meeting my partner the interviewer advised me it was only about the female in the house for this particular interview, and showed me her laptop which had ” Gender female” written on the screen. She enquired whether my partner felt safe in the area and also within our home. It certainly doesn’t feel too good to have a stranger asking if your partner feels safe with you..
She then proceeded to ask me to leave the room while my partner was asked to answer on the interviewers laptop if she had been beaten or sexually assaulted, or if her parents had argued when she was a child. My partner insisted I stay, as she felt very uncomfortable with the way the whole interview was done, as did I. As I was in the room, the remainder of questions had to be answered by my partner directly onto the interviewers laptop without verbal questions. I appreciate the thrust of this survey, but I strongly doubt they will get reliable information from their current method, and under threat of daily fines, if you don’t participate. I’m sure I’ll be less co-operative next time I meet an ABS interviewer. Both my partner and myself felt that it was a definitely and invasion of privacy in our own home, and felt extremely uncomfortable, as also the interviewer stated she felt. I wonder about ABS’s duty of care to their staffer in the circumstance that the do one of these in a volatile relationship. It doesn’t take too much imagination to see it going wrong.

Yep, a lady came over last week (I live in Gungahlin). She said the addresses were randomly picked and they just needed a female over 18. I didn’t really want to do the survey, but after she told me about it I figured the stats could be important.

My survey went for about 10 minutes because I truthfully answered “no” to most of the questions. However there were a few questions where I had to answer “yes” and it brought up a lot of really uncomfortable memories… I tell ya, even though I haven’t experienced some things that a lot of other women have, by the end I felt quite vunerable. She gave me some support line numbers, which I thought was very good.

I had someone come and introduce themselves as from ABS and doing a survey blah blah. The first question was whether anyone in my home was of a specific demographic. I said no. He said thanks, as you said no, we don’t need to go any further. He said if we answered yes, he would’ve gone on with the rest of it.

Deref said :

Could you give us an idea of the sorts of questions that made you feel uncomfortable?

Questions relating to sexual and physical assault from a pervious partner. The survey was based around these types of issues and the questions quite personal.

Could you give us an idea of the sorts of questions that made you feel uncomfortable?

ActuAli said :

I’m in Tuggeranong, not Braddon. Anyone know how they select their interviewees?

A certain number from each state then x number of collection blocks in the state then usually skip method in each block for general surveys. You should be able to see the sample size on the ABS page.

#1 – No i wasn’t asked to do follow up interviews for this one. Its just a one off survey.

One – The woman was an older woman with ID, i was able to look online the ABS site and see a picture and bio of her the day before the interview. I didn’t let her in the house without making sure she was who she said she was. I doubt they would want 2 people to attend this kind of interview. I know i wouldn’t have answered questions of this nature if there were two people sitting there asking them. Yes my insurance is up to date and i also ensured my boyfriend was upstairs had there been any issues.

ActuAli – Glad to know it wasnt just me. I found the lady very easy to talk to but it did bring up a few things I had been trying to forget. I believe houses are randomly selected, i would be very interested to know exactly how it all works.

This is from the ABS website:

Purpose

Information was collected from persons aged 18 years and over about their safety at home and in the community. In particular, it focused on measuring men’s and women’s experiences of physical and sexual violence since the age of 15, by different types of male and female perpetrators, the nature and extent of violence against women and men (with a reference period of the last 12 months), actions taken after experiencing violence and the effect on their lives. Additional information was collected about incidents of abuse, stalking and other forms of harassment.

Back to the OP’s question – yes, I was interviewed for this, and I felt really uncomfortable with a lot of the qustions. I still answered them all truthfully though, but felt uneasy for quite a while afterwards because it made me feel like a victim, and I’d never felt that way before. It also dragged up some uncomfortable memories and situations that I felt I had moved past. It really left me feeling yuck.
I’d hate to think how women who had been subjected to serious abuse and still suffer emotionally would have handled the questions.
I’m in Tuggeranong, not Braddon. Anyone know how they select their interviewees?

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd said :

One said :

lol, nope – then again, a single ‘She’ who came to your home?

Did u close the door after she came inside your home?

She wouldn’t dare walk up the steps where I rent without another person on the ABS payroll being present with her, or at least near by (if one person you don’t know does come into your home – call the ABS and make a complaint – its not safe for you or her, and I hope your insurances were up to date).

I thought the ABS were better then the AEC (who use to send 1 person into what is a slum, now they do it a bit safer by sending 2 people).

I hope you got to see an ID card – but even then, I would of refused. I also would of refused 2 ABS but for other reasons (lets just say i love my CCTV).

Jaded and paranoid much?

The ABS has the power to direct individuals to answer questions in relation to the particular survey for which one has been randomly selected. If an individual is prosecuted and convicted for not providing the information required, they can be fined up to $100 per day for each day they fail to provide the information up to a maximum of $5000!

Somewhat heavy handed i would’ve thought but that is the potential scenario if one allows them to get a foot in the door.