Political

The deaths that politicians don’t talk about

Think about the last time you heard a politician or a pundit in the media talk about the deaths of young people, demanding action of some sort.

Often it’s murders that catch the attention. Perhaps gangs. Perhaps knives. Perhaps guns.

But suicide? Individual tragic cases certainly get media coverage. But think how often you hear someone demand action on knives, guns and murder. And how rarely you hear them talk about cutting suicides.

Yet as a new video [now removed] from the Office of National Statistics points out, suicide is the leading cause of death amongst 20-34 year olds in England and Wales. It is also the leading cause of death amongst 5-19 year old males (even though it is only legally recorded as a cause of death for over 10s).

In fact, for every one murder there are seven suicides.

But when it comes to demands for action, the ratio is more like the other way round.

Back in 2010 I wrote,

I do now wonder whether murder features too often in political speeches and suicide not nearly enough.

I fear I was right.

8 responses to “The deaths that politicians don’t talk about”

  1. "Compared to murder, for every one murder there are seven suicides. But when it comes to demands for action, the ratio is more like the other way round". Mark Pack rightly highlights the lack of attention we give to suicides, and trying to prevent them. Shockingly, as the video shows, suicide is the leading cause of death amongst 5-19 year old males and also amongst males and females aged 20-34, in England and Wales.

  2. I was more than just shocked by the article. Seven times more likely to die from suicide than murder. Somewhat hard to believe, although I don't doubt it. Another fine case of sweeping it under the carpet.

  3. It's appraoching the "anniversary" of when Rich killed himself, I've felt first hand the brush off and authority doesn't want to deal with preventing a problem. I miss him so fucking much. most of the time I lie now and say cancer or car crash as it's easier for others to deal with. The NHS trys to absolve it's collective responsiblities by making out "personality disorder" so that it's not their problem but conversely it's fine to shove people on DANGEROUS SSRI's without any supervision and people with severe MH problems cannot get to grips with repeat perscriptions and in a constant state of flux. Big pharma doesn't care about people, just profit and look at Andrew Langsley, how many "donations" has he had? Pharma and insurance companies are his real boss, not we the voters best interests. Get rid of the DSM and money in politics, then the needless deaths might stop. Families like mine might have been saved heartache.

  4. Is this article asking me to believe that males between the ages of 5 and 10 are committing suicide? If it is, I have to say I find this very difficult to believe. What sort of proof can there be of motivation, ability etc. at such a young age? Isn't it more likely that an adult is lying about the event?

    • John: I don't know if anyone under 10 has committed suicide and, like you, would be horrified if that was the case. I was just trying to point out though that if anyone had, they wouldn't be classified as suicide because the 'official' definition only applies to over 10s.

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