Women and Activism: Poll Results
In celebration of the centenary of suffrage for some women, we have polled British women about their current attitudes to and involvement in campaigning, activism and public life. The poll was conducted by ComRes for Woman’s Hour.
The women polled were asked to select all the actions that they had taken. Check out the results below:
Q1. What action would you be prepared to take for a cause you believe in?
| Action | Percentage of all surveyed |
|---|---|
| NET: Any Action | 72% |
| Take no action | 28% |
| Campaign online | 57% |
| Take part in a public protest or march | 38% |
| Take another form of non-violent direct action (e.g. strike or sit-in) | 28% |
| Break the law | 3% |
[Base: All respondents (n=1,083)]
Q2. Have you been involved in taking any of the above actions in the past 12 months?
| Action | Percentage of all surveyed |
|---|---|
| NET: Yes - any action | 28% |
| No, I have not taken any action | 72% |
| Yes, I have campaigned online | 25% |
| Yes, I took part in a public protest or march | 6% |
| Yes, I took another form of non-violent direct action (e.g.strike or sit-in) | 3% |
| Yes, I broke the law | 0% |
[Base: All respondents (n=1,083)]
Q3. What was your motivation?
| Action | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| To raise media interest on the issue/cause | 63% |
| Solidarity with others | 50% |
| To influence politicians | 46% |
| Personal experience | 26% |
| Support for a political party/opposition to a political party | 17% |
| Personal gain | 6% |
| Other (please specify) | 5% |
| Leadership opportunities | 3% |
[Base: All respondents who took any action in the past 12 months (n=307)]
Q4. Would you consider getting involved in public life in a more formal way such as standing in a local election or as a parliamentary candidate?
| Answer | Percentage of all surveyed |
|---|---|
| Yes | 10% |
| No | 90% |
[Base: All respondents (n=1,083)]
Q5. From the list below, please choose the main reason why you would not consider getting involved in public life in a more formal way such as standing in a local election or as a parliamentary candidate.
| Reason | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Not that type of person | 42% |
| I am not party political | 19% |
| Time commitment | 10% |
| Frustration with the political system | 9% |
| Other (please specify) | 9% |
| Lack of interest/can’t be bothered | 6% |
| Personal abuse or threats e.g. trolling | 4% |
[Base: All respondents who would not consider getting involved in public life in a more formal way (n=973)]
Q6. Do you feel you lack the confidence or ability to get involved in public life?
| Answer | Percentage of all surveyed |
|---|---|
| Yes | 58% |
| No | 42% |
[Base: All respondents (n=1,083)]
Q7. Emmeline Pankhurst campaigned for women to win the right to vote. Which woman do you think is the most effective in campaigning for women’s rights today?
Over half of women surveyed (56%) didn’t name a specific woman who had been most effective in campaigning for women’s rights today, of the 44 per cent who did, 14 per cent of them named Theresa May, followed by Meghan Markle (10%), Malala Yousafzai (9%) and Emma Watson (8%).
Q8. Do you personally think you have equality in your life today?
| Answer | Percentage of all surveyed |
|---|---|
| Yes | 59% |
| No | 41% |
[Base: All respondents (n=1,083)]
Q9. What needs to change?
| Answer | Percentage of respondents |
|---|---|
| Society’s attitudes towards women | 52% |
| Family responsibilities such as caring for children, older relatives etc. | 16% |
| Opportunities for women in the workplace | 16% |
| Attitudes of people around you (close family and friends) | 8% |
| Other (please specify) | 7% |
[Base: All respondents who don’t think they have equality in their lives (n=446)]
Methodology note: ComRes surveyed 1,083 British women aged 18+ online between 30th May 2018 and 31st May 2018. Data were weighted to be representative of GB women by age and region. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.
