• More than 40% of Australians say it is okay to torture captured enemy soldiers in certain cases to obtain important military information. The fact is, torture of detainees, whether they're prisoners of war or civilians, is a war crime. The law does not allow for exceptions due to different points of view.
• Australians are interested in and aware of IHL: while 88 per cent of people have heard of the Geneva Conventions, the universal and consistent message that 'even wars have laws' needs to be more widely heard and understood.
• Australians are more cynical about the laws of war than those from war-torn countries: 32% believe the Geneva Conventions prevent wars from getting worse; 49% believe they make no difference. In contrast, in a global poll of war-torn countries such as Afghanistan and Liberia, up to 85% of people believe the Geneva Conventions limit the suffering of civilians in war time.
• More than 90% of those surveyed are aware that the red cross emblem protects people and objects during times of armed conflict, but only 28% are aware that it is illegal to use the red cross emblem without the permission of the Minister of Defence.

About the survey

The survey was conducted online by Auspoll between 17 and 21 June 2009 with a sample size of 1030 people, segmented and weighted to be nationally representative of Australia's working population. Similar surveys have been undertaken by the International Committee of the Red Cross and our results contribute Australia's baseline data to international discussion around People on War.

Global Research