saving people

Some statistics are stark in their brutality and suicide statistics tell a story that is appalling and a blight upon our society

Stuff

11 people every week commit suicide in this country

NZ has the highest rate of youth suicide in the OECD

New Zealand's suicide toll is 50 per cent higher than the road toll.

More New Zealanders under the age of 25 die from suicide than from all medical causes combined.

Suicides of 10-14-year-olds increased 60 per cent between 2007 and 2010.

New Zealand's youngest known suicide victim was a 6-year-old.

Suicide rates of Maori and Pacific youth are 70 per cent higher than those of other young New Zealanders.

The most common age for Maori and Pacific people to take their lives is 15-19.

Source: CASPER (an organisation for those bereaved by suicide)

A 6-year old committing suicide beggars belief. 

What a nightmare - for those who decide this is the best option, for friends, family and whānau left behind and for communities and the country as a whole. Many of us have been there - in so much despair, so much pain that we think the best option is to end it. What to do? Talking about it and understanding the pressures that cause people to go there are valuable and an excellent initiative is underway for the deep south

Stuff

Suicide prevention strategies for Maori will be discussed at a hui in Bluff next week. Nga Kete Matauranga Pounamu Trust Maori health promoter Leoma Tawaroa said the "silent issue" of suicide needed to be discussed so appropriate prevention strategies could be developed to help address the issue.

A Kia Piki te Ora Maori Suicide Prevention Hui will be held in Bluff and will be open to the public on Wednesday. It will include presentations on suicide prevention from agencies and people such as comedian Mike King and Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene. The Ministry of Health, the Mental Health Foundation, district health boards, Lifeline Aotearoa, Kia Piki te Ora sites and other professionals and community will attend.

Kia Piki te Ora focused on suicide prevention, raising awareness and highlighting the fact everyone had a place in the world.

The Southern District Health Board last week said there was a suicide in Southland every three weeks.

This initiative is so needed and thank goodness that there are good people working in this very important area. We must give our young people hope and that hope has to come from kaupapa and tikanga and creating a sense of worth, of value. Our society is focused on the individual, on profit and exploitation, on capitalism and neo-liberalism and all of those factors contribute towards out appalling record in suicide.

The Maori youth suicide rate was 35.3 per 100,000 Maori youth population which was more than 2.5 times higher than non-Maori youth. (13.4 per 100,000) 

It is too late to save them when they have gone - we need to save them NOW, we need to give people hope NOW and we need to talk about this disgusting blight on our society NOW. Do your bit and connect with those young people around you, your friends, your family your whānau. 

Do it NOW.