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don't know if this shouldn't be in conversation, but i guess it is a cultural issue...
most people, if asked to rank in descending order the number of deaths annually across australia from motor vehicle collisions, suicide and murder would perhaps replicate the order i have [many western countires would be similar, though the usa has a high murder rate]. they would be quite shocked at the disparity between suicides and mvc's, with the former being far far greater (in austalia, several thousand compared to several hundred)
in australia, and from what i gathermost western states, we don't report suicides (unless the death is also newsworthy for other reasons) and this is a tacit agreement between authorities and press for reasons of minimising the sensationalising of suicide and an attempt to curb 'copycat' suicides by impressionable members of the community.
australia has had some very graphic and deliberately shocking ads about road safety.
it seems that the numbers of suicides are on the increase. and a number of single vehicle motor vehicle collisions are probably suicide but not recorded as such... so perhaps the tactic of non-reporting is failing and we should bolster education of the issues with the shocking facts of the numbers in point.
suicide constitutes just 2% of deaths in austalia, but up to 17% of young adults, so it is a significant health issue; and a cultural issue - a far greater number of rural adolescent men suicide than their urban counterparts.
how do you think you and your families and friends would react to the regular reporting of such deaths, openly? how would affected families feel about it? do you think it would help or hinder the efforts at reducing the toll? |
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