I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me raise the issue of the media guidelines for the portrayal of suicide which were launched yesterday in Dublin and Belfast on behalf of the Irish Association of Suicidology and the Samaritans, which are both Thirty-two County organisations.
Any suicide is a newsworthy event. The fact that an individual has chosen to end his or life deliberately and prematurely attracts public attention. The sad truth is that there are more than 500 suicides each year, but a more frightening statistic is that more than 11,000 people each year present at accident and emergency units having attempted suicide or self harmed. It is estimated that the number of those who self harm is in excess of 60,000. The majority of suicide deaths go unreported, yet the effect of each individual suicide has a profound impact on family, friends, colleagues and community.
For journalists, a suicide presents a difficult dilemma. As an issue of concern to the public, it is clearly the responsibility of the reporter to present the facts as they happen without glamorising the story or imposing on the grief of those affected. Research from the UK, the USA, Australia and other countries overwhelmingly indicates that public presentation, whether factual or fictional, can and does lead to so called copycat suicides, also known as suicide contagion.
Specific concerns in this regard suggests those most affected are under the age of 24, although there is now more evidence that elderly people are also more prone to copycat suicide. The risk is greater when there is a sense of identification with the deceased, such as the case of a celebrity suicide or the suicide of a fictional character with whom the vulnerable person empathises and identifies, for example, because of age or background. Research suggests that romanticising suicide, idealising those who take their own lives or portraying suicide as a heroic act, even inadvertently, may encourage others to identify with the victim and view suicide as an attractive option and an acceptable strategy for dealing with their problems.
Providing specific details of a suicide method gives vulnerable people the knowledge they need to take their own lives. Media portrayal does not just affect choice of method but can increase the numbers of suicides. Written media, newspapers, magazines, books and websites are more likely to provide an incentive for imitation than broadcast media. This seems to be because the affected person can look at, absorb and be influenced by the information on a number of occasions whereas broadcast coverage is more transitory.
The Irish Association of Suicidology's and Samaritan Association's media guidelines for the portrayal of suicide highlight the fact that suicide is a difficult and complex issue, but that it is also a legitimate topic for serious discussion in factual and fictional media. The associations disagree with the view that suicide should not be discussed. Instead the guidelines highlight some of the ways the media can avoid perpetuating myths and misinformation and make a positive difference in people's attitudes.
The organisations' guidelines offer practical and sensible advice regarding the reporting of suicide. They advise reporters not to provide explicit or technical details of suicide methods, to avoid prominent or front page coverage, not to use dramatic photographs, not to romanticise or glorify suicide, not to imply there are positive results to be gained from suicide, to include details of further sources of information and advice and to avoid the use of phrases such as "a successful or unsuccessful suicide attempt", "suicide victim", "just a cry for help", "suicide prone" and "stop the spread or epidemic of suicide". They suggest instead that reporters should use phrases like "a suicide", "a suicide attempt", "take his or her life", "die by suicide", "a completed suicide", "person at risk of suicide" and "help prevent suicide". Regarding the dramatic portrayals of suicide, if the viewer or listener feels they can identify with the character, then the likelihood of imitative behaviour is increased. This is particularly the case if the character concerned is young and sympathetic. Young people and the elderly are at great risk of suicide and research shows that they are the most likely groups to be influenced by media presentation. The time of year is also important. Christmas Day and St. Valentine's Day, for example, are particularly difficult times as they mark major anniversaries without a loved one.
The guidelines on portrayal of suicide in the media were drawn up jointly by the Irish Association of Suicidology and the Samaritans. This was an update of the publication of January 2002. Speaking on my own behalf and not on behalf of any of the organisations involved, I seriously question the decision of the HSE national office of suicide prevention in giving an interview to The Irish Times on the day before the launch of the publication and giving an interview on “Morning Ireland” on the day of the launch which had a serious effect on the success of the event. I can only assume that the office has so little success since its inception that it decided to hijack the work of two NGOs. This sends a very bad message to NGOs working in the area of suicide prevention.
When reporting suicide, a fine line must be drawn between sensitive intelligent reporting and excessively sensational portrayal of suicide. The most important guiding principle is to consider the reader, listener or viewer who might be in crisis when they read, hear or see the piece. Will the piece make it more likely that they will attempt suicide or more likely that they will seek help? Will the piece cause more pain to the bereaved of suicide?
