Sir, - I am concerned by some tabloid newspaper reporting on suicide.
Any suicide is a newsworthy event. The fact that an individual has chosen to end his or her life, quite deliberately and prematurely, attracts the attention of the public. As an issue of concern, it is clearly the responsibility of the media to present the facts as they happen, without glamorising the story or imposing on the grief of the bereaved. Yet there is evidence to suggest that inappropriate reporting or depiction can lead to so-called "copycat suicide", also known as "suicide contagion".
In the US, clusters of such deaths appear to have occurred following sensationalised, insensitive and inappropriate coverage of suicide. The decision to take one's life is an ambiguous one. We know many of the risk factors which make people vulnerable. The concern is that certain types of media reporting can be a catalyst for suicide. In the 1970s, during the 12 months following international publicity of a suicide from burning, there were 60 more suicides from burning in Britain than would normally be expected.
The most important guiding principle is to consider readers, listeners or viewers who might be in crisis when they read, hear or see a report. Will this piece make it more likely that they will attempt suicide or more likely that they will seek help ?
Also, is the report likely to cause extra, unnecessary pain for relatives and friends of the deceased person? - Yours, etc.,
Dan Neville, TD, President, Irish Association of Suicidology, Dail Eireann, Dublin 2.