79% of Russians approve of deprivation of parental rights for those who allow their children be involve in the activities of sects or illegal religious or non-profit organizations.
MOSCOW, December 4, 2017. The Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of a survey describing Russian attitudes towards strengthening of government measures to protect the rights of minor children.
Parents who allow their children to join sects or illegal organizations should be severely punished: 79% say they should be deprived of their parental rights. This initiative is opposed by 16% (23% of followers of beliefs other than Orthodox Christianity); they say that children should stay with their parents as they know better what their children need, each case should be treated individually, and more awareness-raising work should be done.
Today there is no single opinion among Russians concerning the strengthening of government measures to protect children: 45% say the new regulation will help protect the interests of minors, whereas 43% are afraid that it may lead to excessive intervention by the state in family relations (49% among men; 51% among the 18-24-year-olds).
At the same time, the survey results show that more Russians are in favor of more severe measures. The share of respondents who think that additional measures to enhance protection of minor children in Russia are necessary has increased 1.5-fold from 2013 to 2017 (from 36% to 56%). However most of them fail to provide a more detailed suggestion (70%). Those who did propose to restrict access to the Internet and computer games.
The VCIOM-Sputnik Russian nationwide surveys were conducted on November 18, 26, 2017. The survey involved 1,200 Russians aged 18 and over, and was carried out using stratified dual-frame random sample based on a complete list of landline and mobile phone numbers operating in Russia. The data were weighted according to selection probability and social and demographic characteristics. The margin of error at a 95% confidence level does not exceed 3.5%. In addition to sampling error, minor changes in question wording and different circumstances arising during the fieldwork can introduce bias into the survey.
The 2013 results are based on household survey.
Russia’s Supreme Court adopted a judgment stating that parents can be deprived of their parental rights for allowing their children to join sects, illegal non-profit and religious organizations. What is your attitude towards judgment? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Orthodox followers | Followers of other religions | Non-believers, fluctuating between belief and non-belief |
Rather positive | 79 | 79 | 70 | 81 |
Rather negative | 16 | 16 | 23 | 15 |
Don’t know | 5 | 5 | 7 | 4 |
Why is your attitude towards the Supreme Court’s judgment to deprive parents of their parental rights for involving their children in the activities of illegal organizations? (open-ended question, not more than 2 answers, % of those who perceive Court’s judgment negatively) | |
| 2017 |
Parents are to decide what is better for their children | 9 |
It is better to stay with parents than in the orphanage | 8 |
It is necessary to raise awareness among parents | 8 |
Each case is different | 7 |
People have different religious beliefs | 5 |
Negative attitude toward deprivation of rights and courts in general | 5 |
It is important to listen to children themselves | 4 |
The law should be targeted at sects (organizations) | 4 |
The existing laws are enough | 2 |
This counteracts the Constitution | 2 |
Illegitimate decisions in favor of a certain party are possible | 2 |
It will not eliminate the problem of child involvement in the activities of illegal organizations | 2 |
Other | 3 |
Don’t know | 46 |
Which of the statement below do you most agree with? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||||||
| Total respondents | Men | Women | Aged 18-24 | Aged 25-34 | Aged 35-44 | Aged 45-59 | Aged 60 and more |
Strengthening of government measures to protect the rights of minors help respect children’s interests | 45 | 40 | 49 | 42 | 50 | 41 | 41 | 49 |
Strengthening of measures to protect the rights of minors leads to excessive state interference in family relations | 43 | 49 | 37 | 51 | 42 | 47 | 43 | 36 |
Don’t know | 12 | 11 | 14 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 15 |
In your opinion, are any additional measures necessary to protect the rights of minors in Russia, or are the existing measures sufficient? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 2013 | 2017 |
Additional measures are necessary | 36 | 56 |
Rather not necessary | 50 | 38 |
Don’t know | 14 | 6 |
If you think that additional measures are necessary to protect the rights of minors, what kind of measures would you suggest?(open-ended question, not more than 3 answers, % of those who think that additional measures are necessary) | |
| 2017 |
Restrict access to the Internet, social networking sites, computer games and TV | 8 |
Strengthen control over vulnerable families | 5 |
Promote sports, hobby groups, children activities, children's camp packages | 4 |
Combat pedophilia, violence | 4 |
Pay more attention to children at school (counselors, special lessons, awareness-raising work) | 3 |
Change legislation | 3 |
Protect children against drugs, tobacco-smoking, alcohol | 2 |
Child should know his/her rights, where and to whom they can apply | 2 |
Create necessary conditions for families with poor income | 2 |
Toughen parental responsibility over children in case they lack their control | 2 |
Improve the work of guardianship and custodianship and social protection bodies | 1 |
Protect orphans, children in orphanages | 1 |
Free education, higher education | 1 |
Other | 2 |
Don’t know | 70 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!