When discussing serious issues such as harassment, negligence, abuse and substandard treatment, it’s important to understand the full context. These statistics are the result of a survey of 2,000 respondents from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. You can explore the nation’s opinions around a variety of scenarios, and how this compares across age, gender, region and income levels.
Discover the gender differences about the statements asked in the survey.
Our survey shows that men are more likely than women to say they know what to do if something happened to them, and that they’re comfortable making a complaint. Women are more likely to say they’d hesitate to talk to the police or a lawyer about issues. More women than men also believe there are too many barriers to getting legal support.
How do different generations feel about the statements asked in the survey? Compare below.
There are interesting variances in age, with the youngest generation (16-24-year-olds) being the least likely to know what to do in most of the situations addressed in the survey. That said, younger generations are more likely to say they’d feel comfortable going to the police for help, support or to make a complaint and the least likely to say there are barriers to getting legal support.
Does wealth privilege play a part in how comfortable and confident we are about speaking up against injustice? Find out below.
Compared to respondents on other income ranges, those who earn £15,000 or less are the least likely to say they’d know what to do if something happened to them. They’re also less likely to say their workplace takes bullying, discrimination or harassment seriously. We also found that the same group of people would hesitate to contact the police about sexual abuse as the police might not believe them.
How do different regions in Britain compare when it comes to being able to speak up?
People in Northern Ireland are the least likely to know what to do – or feel comfortable making a complaint – if something happened to them. When compared to other regions, a smaller proportion of people in the North East of England and Yorkshire and the Humber say they’d hesitate talking to a lawyer or the police if something happened.
“Empowered to speak out” is brought to you by Bolt Burdon Kemp. We created this report based on a survey of 2,000 British adults. We hope this resource has encouraged you to speak out in the face of injustice, provided you with valuable information and encouraged you to overcome perceived barriers to seeking legal advice. Our warm and empathetic solicitors are always available for a no-obligation chat – contact us today to share what’s on your mind.