Meeting 11: 15 November 2021

Sexual Violence Survey Steering Group Meeting

Videoconference between Central Statistics Office and Department of Justice

15th November 2021 10:00am

Agenda

1. Introduction – DJ chair

2. Agreement of minutes from last meeting – update on actions

3. Update from CSO on development work to date

4. Finance

     a. 2021 update on spend

5. Next meeting - Jan 2022

6. AOB

Minutes

Attendees:

• Gurchand Singh, Chief Data Officer, Department of Justice (Chair)
• Philip McCormack, Research Officer, Department of Justice
• Keith McSweeney, Senior Statistician, Central Statistics Office
• Helen McGrath, Statistician, Central Statistics Office

1. Introduction

The Chair welcomed all members of the steering group. Apologies were noted from Alice Wainwright.

2. Agreement of minutes from last meeting

The minutes from the last meeting were agreed and updates were given on each action.

3. Update from CSO on development work to date

Since the previous steering group meeting, the office has:

• Drafted the report for the SVS pilot.
• Preparation for the next stages of the main survey design has advanced significantly. Work has progressed with internal stakeholders including the Methodology section, the Administrative Data and Governance section and Social Data Collection. See Point A.
• Submitted Estimates for 2022 in August 2021.
• Presented an update on the SVS pilot at the SATU Annual Study Day.
• Organised the next Liaison Group meeting in November.

A. The main survey plan

Following the SVS pilot we are confident that the questionnaire worked well however the response to the field operation was low. The web-based approach also did not facilitate everyone in society to engage with the survey. To ensure everyone can have a chance to reply and to encourage a higher response rate, a revised approach to the survey has been agreed.

The main survey is planned run from June to November 2022 and is set to follow this sequence:

• An initial letter is sent to a household member with a request to complete the survey with a survey link and the access details included. If not accessed a reminder will be sent.
• If the survey has not been completed after the reminder, the household will be referred to the field-based interview team. The interviewers will locate the household member and ask them to complete the survey themselves using the interviewer’s tablet. The tablet version of the survey will contain the same variables as the online survey.
• If this is not suitable for the person, a paper-based form will be provided. The paper version of the survey will not contain the same variables as the online survey. It will contain only the key prevalence/disclosure questions to reduce the length of the questionnaire and remove the burden of the filtering from the respondent.

This plan is dependent on the availability of a person-based register from which the person can be selected in advance. This has been agreed in principle by senior management and is being progressed by the Administrative Data and Governance section in the office. Once this frame is agreed, then the sample design/size can be agreed in conjunction with the Methodology section.

The plan is also dependant on the availability of interviewers to conduct the survey. 2022 is a busy year for surveys in the office with the Household Budget Survey, PIAAC (an international survey on adult literacy and numeracy), Growing up in Ireland pilot as well as the Census. This risk will be monitored through liaising with the sections going to the field earlier than SVS.

An overview of the main milestones for the project was shared.

The CSO will give an update on these two risks and COVID impact in January once the final main survey design is agreed. A discussion on the ability of those with language or literacy difficulties to engage with the survey was held. The Department will look at how they could support this through their research unit. They will update the CSO at the next meeting.

4. Finance

An overview report on 2021 spend was issued in advance. The spend for the first nine months of the year was discussed. There is likely to be an underspend due to some savings this year in the field work. This will offset against the 2022 request for funding in January. It was noted that if the main survey plan as described can be achieved it may lead to further savings. This will be investigated once the sample design and field operation has been agreed. The Department reiterated its commitment to support this important project.

5. Next meeting

January 2022 was agreed as the month for the next official Steering Group meeting. A date will be agreed closer to the time. A virtual meeting will be booked and can be revised closer to the date if restrictions are lifted in the interim.

6. AOB

The department noted that they would return to the CSO about an upcoming consultation with EIGE. The CSO gave a brief update on the interactions with the Dept of Justice on the development of the third strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence (DSGBV).