Most of Russians do not accept polygamy as social norm.
MOSCOW, June 2, 2015. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the results of the survey describing the attitudes of Russians towards polygamy and the Chechen “millennium wedding”.
Russian attitudes toward polygamy in Russia have dramatically changed: 58% regarded it as appropriate and 12% as necessary in 1999 against 58% of those who oppose this form of marriage today. Those who are more radical are young Russians (65% of those aged 18-24), those with low level of education (65%); more loyal respondents are 34-44-year old Russians (51%) and those who graduated from the universities (57%). One-third of respondents (30%) believe that the polygamy can be allowed.
As before, respondents oppose the idea to allow Russians to practice polygamy (83% in 1990s, 87% today). Only 8% think it is acceptable; 2% say it is necessary. Thirty-two percent of Russians were aware of the wedding of the millennium (on May 16th Nazhud Guchigov, the head of one of Grozny police departments married Kheda-Luiza Goylabieva); 65% did not know about it before the survey. Those who are more informed are residents of Moscow and St.Petersburg (42%), those who have high level of education (40%) and financial income (42%).
Half of those who got to know about the wedding assess it negatively (51%); about one-third of sample mean share this stance (31%). When the respondents were told about the wedding, 54% of them expressed negative opinions (73% among those who disapprove of the polygamy of Muslims living in Russia; 28% among those who approve that). Huge age difference between husband and wife was perceived in a very negative way (presumably, 17-year-old bride and 46 or 57-year-old bridegroom); 61% do not accept that (66% among men and 56% among women).
The VCIOM opinion poll was conducted May 23-24, 2015; 1600 respondents were interviewed in 132 communities in 46 regions of Russia. The margin of error does not exceed 3.5%.
In your opinion, should the polygamy among Muslims living in Russia be legalized? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||
| 1999 | 2015 |
Yes, it is necessary | 12 | 3 |
It is acceptable | 58 | 30 |
It is unappropriated | 30 | 58 |
Don`t know* | - | 9 |
*In 1999 this answer option was not proposed
In your opinion, should the polygamy among Russians be legalized? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||
| 1999 | 2015 | |
Yes, it is necessary | 3 | 2 | |
It is acceptable | 15 | 8 | |
It is unappropriated | 83 | 87 | |
Don`t know* | - | 3 | |
There was a wedding between Nazhud Guchigov and Zheda-Luiza Goylabieva in Chechnya; It was covered in media; the Chechen president called it “the wedding of the millennium”. Do you know about this wedding? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||||||
| Total respondents | Moscow and St.Petersburg | Million cities | More than 500 ths | 100–500 ths | Less than 100 ths | Rural area |
Yes | 32 | 42 | 26 | 29 | 40 | 27 | 29 |
Never before | 65 | 52 | 70 | 70 | 57 | 68 | 69 |
Don`t know | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
What is your attitude towards the wedding between Guchirov and Goylabieva? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Who heard of it before | Who did not hear of it before | |
Completely positive | 4 | 7 | 2 | |
Rather positive | 12 | 22 | 7 | |
Rather negative | 13 | 23 | 8 | |
Completely negative | 18 | 28 | 13 | |
Don`t know | 53 | 20 | 69 | |
Certain mass media state that Guchirov has a wife, and that Goylabieva became his second wife. If it is true, what is your attitude towards this wedding? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | ||||
| Total respondents | Those who think that polygamy among Muslims is necessary | Those who think that polygamy among Muslims is acceptable | Those who think that polygamy among Muslims is unacceptable |
Completely positive | 4 | 23 | 7 | 1 |
Rather positive | 17 | 31 | 35 | 6 |
Rather negative | 18 | 8 | 16 | 20 |
Completely negative | 36 | 19 | 12 | 53 |
Don`t know | 25 | 19 | 31 | 20 |
Certain mass media state that there is a big age difference between Guchirov and Goylabieva (she is 17, and he is 46 or 57). If it is true, what is your attitude toward this wedding? (closed-ended question, one answer, %) | |||
| Total respondents | Men | Women |
Completely positive | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Rather positive | 15 | 19 | 12 |
Rather negative | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Completely negative | 44 | 39 | 49 |
Don`t know | 19 | 19 | 19 |
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!