What sort of a survey is this? Who sanctioned it? National Family Health survey asks a question, "in your opinion is a husband justified in hitting or beating a wife?".
In research we call this sort of question as a loaded question. It almost legitimises the action.
What is the sample, what is the sample size, who are the respondents. Can the results be generalized? .
And the results are published and given publicity. And 84% men and 70% men from Telangana answered in affirmative. Wife beating is justified! We get the surveys we deserve.
"Figures often beguile me, particularly when I have the arranging of them myself; in which case the remark attributed to Disraeli would often apply with justice and force: "There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER, THIS QUOTE IS BY MARK TWAIN!
- Autobiographical dictation April 1904. "Notes on 'Innocents Abroad.'" Published in Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1 (University of California Press, 2010).
