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Sexual Violence Survey Liaison Group Meeting

GN2, CSO Office, Skehard Road, Mahon, Cork.

18th July 2019

 

Agenda

1. Introduction

2. Terms of reference

3. Update from CSO on work to date

4. Mode paper presentation [Pat Foley, Methodology unit to present]

5. Next steps

6. AOB

 

Minutes

Attendees:

  • Keith McSweeney (Chair), Helen McGrath (Secretary), Central Statistics Office
  • Eithne Tiernan, Consultant
  • Philip McCormack, Department of Justice and Equality
  • Aoife Cartwright, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre
  • Orla O'Connor, National Women’s Council of Ireland
  • Meave Lewis, One in Four
  • Clíona Saidléar, Rape Crisis Network Ireland
  • Sarah O'Connor, Sexual Assault Treatment Unit
  • Mary Roche, TUSLA, the Child and Family Agency
  • Susan Leahy, University of Limerick

Apologies:

  • Elaine Byrnes, National University of Ireland, Galway

Minutes

1. Introduction:

The Chair welcomed all participants to the Cork office and to the inaugural meeting of the SVS Liaison Group.

2. Terms of Reference

The Secretary introduced the item and outlined the contents of the proposed Terms of Reference document. The existence of other Liaison Groups in other statistical areas of the office was noted. It was clarified that the document was in line with other Terms of Reference documents for other Liaison Groups in the office. After a general discussion, the group accepted the terms without any further adjustment. The secretary noted that they would be published online.

3. Update from CSO on work to date

The Secretary gave a presentation on the work the CSO had done to date on the project.

The background to the survey was introduced. The operational environment in which the CSO operates was explained i.e. the Irish and European Statistics Code of Practice. The legal basis for the CSO including the office’s statistical independence and requirement to maintain confidentiality was highlighted in the presentation. The framework for survey development i.e. Generic Statistical Business Process Model (GSBPM) was shared. The publishing guidelines for Irish official statistics were also explained i.e. the number of observations underlying a statistic must reach certain limits before that statistic can be published. Additional detail on the development work on the project was described. It was based on these four topics:

  • Corporate governance
  • Building expertise
  • Data list refinement
  • Instrument development

A discussion on the timeline was conducted. The initial timeline given for the project has been criticised by members of the Liaison Group and other stakeholders previously. However, the Group acknowledged the open approach that the office has taken. The secretary reassured the group that at the end of the scoping year i.e. 2019 a more relevant and robust timeline would be shared with the group.

The Eurostat Gender Based Violence Survey which is being tested in Europe was noted as being a valuable source of learning for the team. The group members expressed an interest in receiving more details and the secretary committed to sharing details of where to find the documentation in the publicly available document repository.

Details on the makeup of the expert groups noted in the presentation were sought. The group suggested further names which could be of use in the expert groups and recommended that contact be made with the following:

  • Saoirse Nic Gabhainn
  • Department of Education
  • Department of Social Welfare

A broader question on a potential campaign to raise awareness of the national survey was raised by the group. This was an issue which the project team will require further time to consider due to the size that a campaign must reach before having an impact and the ethical reasons identified in the SAVI report for not conducting a national campaign.

4. Mode paper presentation

The Liaison Group were joined by Patrick Foley, Paul M Crowley and Fiona O’Callaghan from the CSO Methodology unit for this item.

Patrick Foley presented on overview of the work he had conducted in examining the current literature available on mode implications for sensitive topics.

The presentation introduced the topic through the lens of the ethical and practical concerns linked with the survey. The mode effect was explained, and the types of competing modes were also detailed to give an overview of the various options for delivering the survey. Current literature was used to show how mode effects are determined and international approaches were disclosed. Recommendations were given by the Methodology unit - to provide accurate, robust and reliable sexual violence figures for Ireland, a CAPI/CASI approach is recommended. CAWI is only recommended in a mixed mode approach.

The group agreed that the work shared was valuable and thorough. The presentation generated discussion on several aspects of the survey including interviewer profile, field protocols, ethical responsibilities to interviewers and respondents, and legal obligations of the office. Additional sources of information were referenced by the group and discussed e.g. the FRA report. The CSO experience in conducting household surveys was shared as well as an overview of the field force. The secretary noted that a lot of decisions on field operations still must be decided but that this is being addressed with the appropriate sections in the office.

Patrick and the Methodology team were thanked for their contribution and left after the agenda item.

5. Next Steps

The Secretary gave a brief presentation on the next steps for the project. The majority of the work in the coming weeks will be concerned with the refinement of the data list from the scoping group report. An outline of the work was described which utilise a group of experts to aid in definition and prioritisation. The resultant variable list would be shared with the Liaison Group for their suggestions/observations and their recommendations to be shared with the CSO as an input into the decision-making process.

Due to the importance of the refinement of the data list, the secretary suggested that the next meeting of the Liaison Group sooner than the Terms of Reference suggest. The Group was in agreement. The next meeting will be held in September/October and will focus predominately on the refinement of the data list.

6. AOB

No AOB identified.

 

Actions for next meeting

Actions

Organisation Responsible

Publish the agreed TOR on the website

CSO

Share details of the Eurostat GBV documentation

CSO

Share the presentations from the meeting

CSO

Follow up on the suggestions for the expert groups

CSO

Arrange the next Liaison Group meeting for September/October

CSO