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MATES & DATES STUDENT SURVEY

A summary of key findings

INTRODUCTION This summary highlights the key findings from the Mates & Dates Students Survey collected from August 2015 to December 2016. The summary begins with feedback on student views and experiences across the key Mates & Dates content areas. This is followed by feedback from students about the course and the facilitators. Any gender, ethnicity or aged-based differences in the findings are reported.

SURVEY PARTICIPANTS A total of 3,227 students who took part in the Mates & Dates online survey:

57% of respondents were female and 39% were male; 5% of respondents did not specify their gender. Most respondents (76%) were NZ European, followed by Māori (21%), Asian (9%) and Pacific (8%). Most students (74%) were in Years 9 and 10.

Figure 1 Students' participating in the Mates & Dates survey by School Year

36%38%

14%7%

5%

0% 20% 40%

Year 9Year 10Year 11Year 12Year 13

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THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF MATES & DATES

“Overall it was a really good course. I enjoyed every session I attended and would go to class early on Tuesday [Facilitator and Facilitator] were funny and were easy to get along with. Highly recommend this course to everyone.”

GENDER STEREOTYPES Overall, most students thought that it was okay for both men and women to have interchangeable roles and behaviours historically thought of as “male only” or “female only”. Students were less likely to be okay about: - Boys wearing nail polish - Male cheerleaders Of the different roles, students were more likely to say that: - Women should stay home, look after the children and do the house work - Men should change the tyre on a car

Key demographic differences Male students (n=1226) and Pacific students (n=242) were more likely to say that men and women should have gender specific roles than all other students.

4.1 Changes in gender steroetyped views

The course is working particularly well for female (n=1809), Māori (n=676), Pacific (n=239) and Asian students (n=284), who were more likely to say the course had changed their views relating to gender stereotypes a lot.

Māori (n=413) and Pacific girls (n=136) reported greater changes in their views relating to gender stereotypes than other girls.

64% of students thought that the course was good (n=2838)

Only 18% of students felt the course was not a good use of their time

27% of students felt that the course had changed their views a lot in relation to

how men and women should act (n=3174)

Two thirds (66%)felt that it had changed their views ‘at least a little bit’

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HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS Overall, most students indicated that they would engage in healthy relationship behaviours (n=3114). A substantial proportion of students said they would “probably” engage in healthy behaviours (30-50%) and “probably not” engage in unhealthy behaviours (29-40%). This indicates that there is still some uncertainty amongst students about how they will behave in certain contexts and/or what types of behaviours are okay in a healthy relationship. Students were most likely to be unsure about whether they would: - Tell someone who had upset them how they honestly felt - Listen to someone if they say they should be nicer to their parents - Get angry and yell or not talk to someone if they didn’t do what they asked

them to do - Wag school if someone asked them to

do it so that they could spend the day together.

Key demographic differences Pacific students were slightly more likely to say they would “definitely” engage in positive behaviours than other students (n=234). In terms of specific behaviours, Asian students were slightly more likely to say they would get angry and yell/not talk to someone if they didn’t do what they wanted them to do (n=282). Year 9 and 10 students (n=2312) were more likely to say they would “definitely not” tell someone who had upset them how they honestly felt.

5.1 Changes in students’ views on healthy relationships Female students (n=1786) were more likely to report positive changes in their views on healthy relationships than boys (n=1169). The differences in outcomes between male and female students were also evident in Māori and Pacific students, although the differences between Pacific boys (n=84) and girls (n=135) was smaller. Māori (n=662), Pacific (n=233) and Year 9 and 10 students (n=2302) were more likely to report positive changes in their views on healthy relationships than other students.

Most students (77%) said the course had helped their

understanding of how to treat other people and how they would like to be treated, with 39% saying that it had helped

a lot (n=3098)

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CONSENT Overall, students appeared to have a good understanding of when not to engage in sexual activity with someone, with most students appropriately saying ‘it’s never okay’ for most of the situations given (see Figure 2). However, students were less sure about whether it was ok if:

o someone was sad or started crying (28% said it’s okay sometimes/it depends),

o when they don’t really like them but know their friends will be impressed (13% it’s okay sometimes/it depends), or

o when someone has authority over them (11% it’s okay sometimes/it depends).

Figure 2 In your opinion, in which of these situations is it OK to engage in sexual activity with

someone? (n=3226)

Feeling pressured to engage in a sexual activity Worryingly, 19% of students said they had been pressured into taking part in sexual activity that they did not want to take part in (n=3061). Of the students who said they had experienced any sexual activity in the last 12 months (n=1450), nearly a third said that:

o they were not at all confident that they really wanted to do it (31%) o that they could change their mind or stop if they wanted (30%), and o that the other person really wanted to do it (29%).

If they were being pressured into sexual activity in the future:

It's okay It's okay sometimes/it

depends

It's never okay

Don't know

28%

13%

11%

9%

8%

6%

5%

4%

4%

5%

5%

5%

4%

4%

3%

4%

3%

3%

60%

77%

78%

82%

83%

86%

87%

88%

89%

7%

5%

6%

5%

5%

5%

5%

4%

4%

100% 60% 20% 20% 60% 100%

When they are sad, or start crying

When you don’t really like them, butyou know your friends would be impressed

When they have authority over you (e.g. your coach, teacher, boss etc.)

When they say ‘no’, but just quietly

When they look afraid or scared of what’s happening

When they are so drunk they can hardly stand

When they try to push you away

When they’ve taken drugs and can’t talk properly

When they say ‘no’ repeatedly or loudly

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o 49% of students said they very confident that they would be able to tell the person or people (seriously) that they don’t want to do it (n=2999).

o 42% of students said they were very confident that they would tell one of their friends what happened.

o However, around a fifth of students who had been pressured into a sexual activity said that they were not at all confident that they could tell an adult, teacher, counsellor, etc. what happened (23%) or an adult family member (20%).

Key demographic differences Pacific students (n=233) were twice as likely as non-Pacific students (n=282; 14% compared to 7%) to say they had “definitely” been pressured into sexual activity that they did not want to do. Asian students (n=271) reported that they were less confident that they would tell an adult or family member if they had been pressured into a sexual activity. Pacific students, Asian students, male students (n=1347) and Year 9 and 10 students, were less confident that they and the other person really wanted to engage in the sexual activity than other students. Year 11 to 13 students (n=471) were much more confident than Year 9 and 10 students (n=981) that during their last sexual experience, they could change their mind or stop if they wanted to. Female students (n=1723) and Year 11 to 13 students (n=756) were more likely to say that it was “never okay” to engage in sexual activity with someone who has authority over you or who you don’t really like, but you think your friends will be impressed than male students and younger students.

6.1 Changes in students’ knowledge of consent

Importantly, over half of all students said that the course had “definitely” given them a better idea of what actions to take if pressured into sexual activity, and in what situations it was okay to engage in sexual activity (n=3000). - Male students (n=1120) were less

likely to say that the course had definitely given them a better understanding of what to do, say or who to talk to if they were pressured into sexual activity.

- The benefits for female students in knowing what to do or say if pressured into sexual activity were smaller for Pacific girls (n=135) than other girls. Unlike non-Pacific students, Pacific girls did not have a better understanding than Pacific boys (n= 83 for Pacific boys) of who to go to for help and support if they were pressured into sexual activity.

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BYSTANDER ATTITUDES In the last 12 months, 21% of students said that their friends had “definitely” (8%) or “maybe” (13%) been pressured into sexual activity even if they did not really want to do it (n=2928). 14% of students said their friends had been in a harmful, violent or abusive situation or a situation that could have become harmful, violent or abusive (n=2912). Many students who answered this question said they were a little bit or definitely unsure about what to do to help a friend in this situation (59%), what to say to them (59%) or whether to get involved (54%; n=407).

Key demographic differences Pacific students (n=226) were nearly twice as likely than non-Pacific students (n=2701; 15% compared to 8%) to say their friends have definitely been pressured into sexual activity in the last 12 months. Year 9 and 10 students (n=2179) were more likely than Year 11 to 13 (n=748) students to say that their friends had not been pressured into sexual activity in the last 12 months (41% compared to 57%). Male students (n=1066) were slightly less confident than female students (n=1695) about what to do to help a friend in a harmful situation.

7.1 Changes in students’ confidence to help a friend Most Year 12 and 13 students (n=311) said they felt more confident about what to do to help peers who appeared to feel upset or be in harmful situations, after completing the course - Male students (n=186) were less likely to report this change than females

(n=125).

CONCLUSIONS Overall, Mates & Dates improved most students’ understanding of the course’s key content areas.

Gender stereotypes: The course is working well for female, Maori and Pacific students, who were more likely to say the course had changed their views about how men and women should act. There is a need to explore how the course can work better for male students, who were less likely to say the course had changed their views and more likely to hold gender stereotyped views. There were also some roles and behaviours that students (particularly male students and Pacific students) held more stereotyped views towards. Healthy relationships: Overall students had a good understanding of healthy relationship behaviours, with Pacific students reporting a slightly better understanding than other students. Students were less confident about whether some behaviours were healthy or unhealthy highlighting the value of supporting

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students with gaining confidence in understanding healthy relationship

behaviours. There were some specific behaviours that Year 9 and 10 students and

Asian students were less confident about. Understanding how the course can

strengthen younger and Asian students’ understanding of healthy relationships will

be important for future development of the course.

Consent: Most students had a good understanding of when it was okay to engage

in sexual activity. The course has also improved most students’ understanding of

when it is appropriate to engage in sexual activity and what actions to take if

pressured into sexual activity. This is an important finding for Mates & Dates, as

many students, and especially Pacific students, were unsure about whether they

or their partner had fully consented during their last sexual experience.

Bystander intervention: Many of the Year 12 and 13 students who answered the

questions about bystander intervention were uncertain about what to do to

support friends in harmful or abusive situations. This highlights the value of Mates &

Dates in exploring this issues and providing students with some strategies.

In terms of key outcomes, the survey indicated that the course is generally having a

greater influence on female than male students. Future evaluation activities should

explore boys’ views and experiences of the course. This should help ACC to understand if

it is the design of the course itself or if it takes longer to shift some of the views and

attitudes held amongst some boys.

The course is working particularly well for Maori students. However, there are opportunities

to improve the value of the course for Pacific students. The survey highlights the

importance of supporting Pacific students to understand consent, and ensuring that

facilitators are meeting the needs of Pacific students. The findings for Asian students relate

to a small sample but highlight the importance of supporting these students with

understanding what a healthy relationship is and issues of consent. We suggest that the

deep dives planned for the next phase of evaluation are used to deepen our

understanding of the experiences of male, Pacific and Asian students.

Year 9 and 10 students were generally less confident or had a lower level of

understanding of the key content areas covered by the course. They were more likely to

say the course improved their understanding of the course content than Year 11 to 13

students. This may be indicative of the growth in students’ understanding and confidence

as they get older, gain more experiences of intimate partner relationships and more

knowledge through the Mates & Dates course and other programmes. However, it may

also be important to review the course content for Year 11 to 13 students to ensure that

the material covered during the course continues to support students as they progress

and their experiences change.

The suggestions for improvement from students indicates that there are opportunities to

develop the course content to better meet students’ needs. There is a need to ensure that

course content is relevant to young people’s experiences today and is inclusive of the

experiences of different students, particularly male students and the LGBT community.

Students also wanted to learn more about safe sex, mental health and alcohol abuse.