Limitations Though the study yielded extensive data, two main limitations need to be acknowledged. First, the sample size was adequate but may not have captured a representative view of the Wagga Wagga community (see Tables 1-6). The heterogeneity of individuals who had participated in theDVproject:2650 across Wagga Wagga may not have been captured. This may limit the generalisability of the effectiveness of theDVproject:2650. The generalisability of research findings may also be limited due to sample selection biases where those who had an interest in the topic would have been more interested in completing the survey. Second, the survey questions were limited to the 2016 CAS questions. Given the set of responses available to respondents, some questions may not have allowed for a nuanced response by participants. The 2021 quantitative data has been analysed to show any shifts as compared to 2016 CAS and in some cases shifts in attitudes couldn’t be clearly stated given the limitations on types of analysis being compared to. The survey was also targeted at the whole of community of Wagga Wagga, not necessarily engaging the same participants as the 2016 survey, making this difficult to gauge if there has been a true attitudinal shift within 2016 participants group due to the efforts of the project. Wagga Wagga is a large regional city and is a popular resettlement centre for refugees and arrivals from metropolitan areas seeking the lifestyle change that might not be exposed to the project activities.
Data analysis for quantitative survey Data analysis preparation and processing was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows versions 26. Data analysis processes included coding, recoding, data screening for errors (to prevent statistical analysis distortion), data cleaning, data modification, and data analysis (Coakes et al., 2009; Field, 2009; Hair et al., 2010; Pallant, 2020; Tabachnick & Fidell, 2007). In preparing the data for analysis, data files were imported from Survey Monkey. The data were then cleaned to identify errors in data entry for every variable and the survey was checked for errors using preliminary descriptive statistics. Some continuous variables were collapsed into categorical variables (example: employed/unemployed and educational level). However, it is acknowledged that collapsing continuous variables into categories may limit variability and thus the likelihood of finding significant results (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2007). The survey results are reported and discussed in five categories: • • • • •
sample demographics; knowledge of domestic violence; attitudes to domestic violence and gender equality; responses to domestic violence; and engagement with campaigns/interventions
Post stratification weighting was carried out for sex and age groups to ensure the results are representative of the Wagga Wagga community. Individual results for each question are reported, and where possible these are compared to figures from 2016. Furthermore, any significant differences between responses based on variables of interest such as age, sex, education level attained, and ethnicity are also provided. Logistic regressions and multinomial regressions were the techniques used to test statistical significance to decide if differences are likely to represent a real change rather than just being a random variation that can be found due to chance. Statistically significant results are identified in bold in relevant tables. Unless otherwise stated, only results that are statistically significant at the 95% level (p<.05) (Coakes et al., 2009; Field, 2009; Pallant, 2020) are reported in the text. Where a statistically significant difference was found, the magnitude of the difference was also provided. The results of all data analyses are presented in the next section. Sections on interpretation are included following the reporting of the quantitative findings. Findings are related to comparisons with the 2016 Community Attitudes survey report. The conclusion section in this report synthesises the results and implications of the survey results to the overall effectiveness of theDVproject:2650, highlighting where domestic violence prevention efforts are still necessary.
