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With Christmas and the New Year holidays
around the corner, a survey conducted by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth
Groups found that around 40 per cent of young people would attend parties during
the holidays. More than half
thought that drinking alcohol in party was acceptable, while a significant
proportion of respondents admitted that their alertness to meeting new friends
was not that strong. The Federation
reminded young people to keep vigilant and avoid possible traps.
40 per cent of respondents revealed that they would attend parties over the holidays, with more than half of this group attending discos, raves or private parties. As many as 87 per cent of the total respondents supported their schools to organize parties, indicating that young people were very receptive to dance parties. Around 30 per cent, however, said that they would not take the initiative to let their parents know if they were planning to attend any party, with most attributing the reason to the fact that they were old enough to decide own affairs.
The survey proposed various potential situations that could occur at parties and asked respondents for their likely reactions. A significant number (60 per cent) thought that there was nothing wrong with drinking alcohol, while a considerable proportion (32.9 per cent) said they would make friends with strangers who approached them. Around 30 per cent admitted that they would not be suspicious of persons introduced to them by their friends.
With regard to having close body contact, more than 20 per cent of respondents impacted that they did not mind doing so, even with persons with whom they were not really familiar. Respondents, however, seemed to be more vigilant to drugs, with more than 75 per cent claiming that they would immediately reject any offer of drugs. 93 per cent of respondents denounced that it was not a big deal for one to take pills to feel excited or high at parties.
Respondents who planned attend discos, rave or private parties were more inclined to agree with the view that sleeping or staying overnight at a friend's home during the holidays was not a big deal, and that drinking alcohol at parties was acceptable.
This telephone survey was conducted between 14 and 19 December 2000.
A total of 504 young people aged between 15 and 19 were successfully
interviewed. The survey noted that
around 10 per cent of respondents would feel embarrassed if not invited out
during holidays.
The survey also found that entertainment and food were the two areas where the
largest consumption took place during the Christmas and the New Year holidays.
45 per cent of respondents estimated that they would spend no more than
$1,000 during the holidays. Another
10 per cent claimed that they had planned to visit Mainland China for
consumption purposes during the coming holidays.
End
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Youth Opinion Polls No.
85
