National Family Health survey asks a question, "in your opinion is a husband justified in hitting or beating a wife?".

27-11-2021

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 a loaded question. It almost legitimizes the action. 

What is the sample, what is the sample size, and who are the respondents? Can the results be generalized?. 

And the results are published and given publicity. And 84% of men and 70% of women 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).