kelowna right to life 2020 survey results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · a. elective...

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23% 43% 26% 10% For any reason at any time Only in the first trimester Only to save woman's life and/or in case of rape It's never morally acceptable THE MORALITY OF ABORTION All Men Women n=102 Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results Beliefs and attitudes toward abortion among residents of the Central Okanagan Part 1: Participants were asked which of the following best describes their current position on abortion: A. It’s morally acceptable for any reason at any time during pregnancy. B. It’s morally acceptable for any reason only in the first 3 months of pregnancy. C. It’s only morally acceptable to save the life of the mother and/or in case of rape. D. It’s never morally acceptable. Conclusion: There is no majority consensus on the morality of abortion, but only 23% agree the current legal status on abortion is morally acceptable. Conversely, 77% believe abortion after the first trimester is morally wrong, and 36% take the position that abortion is always wrong or only morally permissible in the case of rape or to save the life of the mother.

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Page 1: Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · A. Elective abortion is legal in Canada during the 1st trimester only, B. Elective abortion is legal

23%

43%

26%

10%

Foranyreasonatanytime Onlyinthefirsttrimester Onlytosavewoman'slifeand/orincaseofrape

It'snevermorallyacceptable

THEMORALITYOFABORTION

All Men Women

n=102

KelownaRighttoLife2020SurveyResultsBeliefsandattitudestowardabortionamongresidentsoftheCentralOkanagan

Part1:Participantswereaskedwhichofthefollowingbestdescribestheircurrentpositiononabortion:A.It’smorallyacceptableforanyreasonatanytimeduringpregnancy.B.It’smorallyacceptableforanyreasononlyinthefirst3monthsofpregnancy.C.It’sonlymorallyacceptabletosavethelifeofthemotherand/orincaseofrape.D.It’snevermorallyacceptable.

Conclusion: There is no majority consensus on the morality of abortion, but only 23% agree the current legal status on abortion is morally acceptable. Conversely, 77% believe abortion after the first trimester is morally wrong, and 36% take the position that abortion is always wrong or only morally permissible in the case of rape or to save the life of the mother.

Page 2: Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · A. Elective abortion is legal in Canada during the 1st trimester only, B. Elective abortion is legal

60%

20% 19%

Legalinthe1sttrimesteronly Legaluptotheendofthe2ndtrimester

Legalthroughoutall9monthsofpregnancy

WHEN DO YOU BEL IEVE ABORT ION I S LEGAL IN CANADA?

All Men Women

n=99

Part2:Togaugeifpeopleareawareofthecurrentlegalstatusofabortion,participantswereaskedwhichstatementtheybelieveismostaccurate:

A.ElectiveabortionislegalinCanadaduringthe1sttrimesteronly,B.ElectiveabortionislegalinCanadauptotheendofthe2ndtrimester,orC.ElectiveabortionislegalinCanadathroughoutallninemonthsofpregnancy.

Conclusion: Only 19% of Kelowna residents are aware there are no legal gestational limits on abortion in Canada. Most people (60%), including 76% of women, falsely believe abortion is legal only in the first trimester. Men were more evenly divided among the three possibilities given. 24% of men, compared to only 14% of women, correctly believe abortion is legal throughout all nine months of pregnancy in Canada.

Page 3: Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · A. Elective abortion is legal in Canada during the 1st trimester only, B. Elective abortion is legal

26%

14% 17%

31%

2%

10%

AtConception FirstHeartbeat(3weeks)

Viability(22Weeks)

Birth Other Don'tKnow

WHENDOWEBECOMEAPERSON?

All Men Women

n=100

Part3:Participantswereaskedwhentheybelievewebecomeaperson? A.Conception/Fertilization. B.Heartbeat(3weeks) C.Viability(22weeks) D.MomentofBirth E.Other–Whenwomandecides

F.Don’tknow

Conclusion: There is no majority belief about when we become “persons,” with the most popular belief (31%) being consistent with the legal reality in Canada: at birth. Section 223 of the Canada Criminal Code defines a human being as coming into existence when the baby is completely outside the mother and in a living state. Slightly fewer respondents (26%) believe we become persons at the moment of our conception, with 36% of women believing we become persons at conception. One person said that life begins “when the woman decides,” and a full 10% could not provide an answer.

Page 4: Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · A. Elective abortion is legal in Canada during the 1st trimester only, B. Elective abortion is legal

28.4%

6.9%

71.6%

93.1%

Abortionforsex-selectionislegalinCanada Abortionforsex-selectionshouldbelegalinCanada

ATTITUDE TOWARD SEX-SELECTION ABORTION

Yes No

Part4:ToseehowknowledgeableandcomfortableKelownaresidentsarewithsex-selectionabortion,participantswereaskediftheybelievethepracticeislegalinCanada,andifitshouldbelegal.

Conclusion: A huge majority (93.1%) of Kelowna residents are uncomfortable with sex-selection abortion - which almost always targets female fetuses - and do not believe it should be legal in Canada. A smaller yet still significant majority (71.6%) mistakenly believe it is currently illegal in Canada. There was a high degree of moral indignation toward this practice, even among many of those who fully supported legal abortion.

Page 5: Kelowna Right to Life 2020 Survey Results › images › surveyresults2020.pdf · A. Elective abortion is legal in Canada during the 1st trimester only, B. Elective abortion is legal

35.3%

30.6%

42.9%

64.7%

69.4%

57.1%

All Men Women

SHOULD ELECTIVE ABORTION BETAX-FUNDED?

YES NO

n=96

Part5:Participantswereaskediftheybelieveelective,non-medicalabortionsshouldbepaidforbythetax-payer,iegovernmentfunded.Conclusion: A clear majority (64.7%) of participants believe non-medical/convenience abortion should not be paid for using tax dollars. Participants were told that in Canada there are 100,000 abortions per year at the cost of approximately $1,000 each (estimated $100 million per year total). Most were surprised at the high number and high cost of abortion to the Canadian tax-payer. More men than women (69.4% to 57.1%) are opposed to tax-funded abortion.