Every three years the Equality Commission carries out an equality awareness survey which looks at trends in public attitudes towards particular groups in society; personal experiences of discrimination and knowledge of rights and protections. It considers who is most likely to express negative feelings and who is most likely to be the target of their prejudice.
‘Do You Mean Me? Discrimination: attitudes and experience in Northern Ireland’ was published by the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland in June 2012.
Key findings in the latest survey report include:
- Attitudes towards different groups as a work colleague, neighbour or married to a family member, have hardened.
- 33% of respondents said they had been subject to some form of harassment or treated unfairly because they belong to a particular group, an increase of 16%.
- 91% agreed with the need for equality laws and 77% agreed that they should be strengthened to match those in Great Britain.
- 77% agreed that the Commission is a valued source of expert advice on equality issues.
- Respondent confidence in the ability to keep their job is lower than the United Kingdom and European Union average.
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