For the last several years I have been relentlessly highlighting the extensiveness of suicide globally and nationally. In terms of ‘violent deaths’, suicide is the leading cause of death with on average annually more deaths by suicide than all deaths due to war, civil strife, domestic and other violence combined. For years, I have urged Governments to prioritise suicide as a leading cause of death. There is no greater legacy a Government can have than to improve lives to such a point as to save lives.
Every so often more reports surface, usually off the back of other reports, a whirlpool of information. It is more talk, little action. This is a fair reflection and comment to make. This is why suicide rates remain high, with little reduction, if any over a long period of time. In Australia, suicide takes more young lives than any other cause. In Australia, suicide is at crisis levels among Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples. How much more needs to be written and reported before Governments will prioritise the saving of lives?
Today, ‘latest research’ suggests ‘new insights’ into leading causes of death. We have long known the leading causes of death. They have generally been swept under the carpet, with only a calendar event type mention of these causes and their rates. I have written voluminously on the extensiveness of suicide in Australia. I have sustained the coverage for two years in order to cultivate the media interest and Government responses that long ago should have occurred. We still have a long way to go and it is still predominately a litany of talkfests and little action.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has added its weight to more commentary on what we pretty much already know.
AIHW tabled death rates among different age groups. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for Australians aged between 15 and 44 years old. It is also the most populated age group, with the average age of Australians today at 37 years old. Therefore suicide prevention and social health should be a national priority – but sadly they are not.
For Australians aged over 45 years old, chronic health issues such as coronary heart disease take more lives than other causes. Governments invest significant funds to address these type of health issues, but Governments are from where they need to be for the larger and younger age group aged 15 to 44 years old – whose leading cause of death is suicide.
Lifeline’s 24-hour hotline, 13 11 14 Crisis Support and Suicide Prevention
Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
Other articles and media on the suicide crisis and suicide prevention by Gerry Georgatos:
People strengthening people focus on suicide prevention
Understanding difference and unfairness is a first step in suicide prevention | The Stringer
Taboo, stigma and shame need to get out of the way for suicide prevention | The Stringer
Suicide is heading to a humanitarian crisis – it is a leading cause of death | The Stringer
Suicides are preventable – here is what we must begin to do | The Stringer
The extensiveness of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander suicides – 1 in 20 | The Stringer
Preventing suicide – “no greater legacy” | The Stringer
Understanding Australia’s suicide crises
Suicides, high among overseas born and second generation Australians
Child suicidal ideation on the increase
It is racism killing our people – suicides born of racism
Kimberley suicide rate – one of the world’s highest – Yiriman is the way to go
My Country – But look how I am forced to live
What will it take to end Aboriginal disadvantage, the inequalities and the various crises?
What sort of Australia is this? Seven homeless children in an asbestos slum
Six homeless children fighting for a better tomorrow
Quality of life for Australians 2nd only to Norway but for Aboriginal Peoples 122nd
Dumbartung convenes suicide crisis summit
Suicide attempts among women on the rise
Australia’s Aboriginal children detained at the world’s highest rates
Culture should not be denied – change needs unfolding, not impost
Everyone in the Territory doing well, except for Aboriginal Peoples
Australia’s Aboriginal children, the world’s highest suicide rate
Wes Morris slams government suicide prevention programs
How many more suicides will it take? How many more deaths?
Hopelessness in suicide riddled communities
More government neglect of Aboriginal children
In identity lay the answers – ATSI suicides
$25.4 billion spent on Aboriginal disadvantage is a lie
Beagle Bay to State Parliament – Farrer speaks out on suicides
Government to address Aboriginal suicides
996 Aboriginal deaths by suicide – another shameful Australian record
996 deaths by suicide – one in 24 die by suicide
Australia’s Aboriginal suicide epidemic – whose child will be the next to die?
77 Aboriginal suicides in South Australia alone
Kimberley’s Aboriginal peoples old at 45 years
Australia, the mother of all jailers of Aboriginal people
Tumult of death – 400 suicides in last three years
30 suicides in the last three months as we wait for promises to be kept
Suicide crisis – genocidal numbers
Suicide crisis – from tragic to catastrophic
Suicide crisis needs real funding and actions
Hundreds more will suicide if we wait for 2015
Nothing will be done about suicides crisis
Elders across Australia say governments need to listen to them on how to address youth suicide
Suicides – western society and ancient cultures clash
If we are serious about suicide prevention
Australia’s suicide crisis should not be played down – the media must highlight it
From my father’s death bed to the must-do to end the suicides
Governments promise on ending suicides must come good now
More confirmation of what everyone knows, was suicide prevention inadequate
The must-do need to listen and trust if suicides crisis is to end
Working together – mental health and suicide prevention roundtable
Break the taboo around suicides, we reduce suicides
Suicide crises born of Australia’s inhumanity
Suicides crisis linked to incarceration
Wes Morris urges funding for cultural methodologies
The betrayal of our children – the Northern Territory
New project offers hope to reduce Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander suicides
Depression and suicide prevention must be top of the agenda this century
World Suicide Prevention Day – suicide takes more lives than war
Western Australia – 1 in 13 in a jail, a bullshit state of affairs
Yiriman saving lives in the midst of the Kimberley’s suicide crises
The smaller a community, the less likely a suicide
Overcoming disadvantage report shows disadvantage not overcome
600 Black deaths in custody by 2025 – jail numbers to soar
Get out of the way – Aboriginal suicide rates will drop
A nation shamed when the solution for its children is homelessness
Christmas, a period of vulnerability for many
Stop peddling lies $30 billion spent on Indigenous disadvantage is a lie
To end our trauma government must stop the assault on our people and our culture
In Australia there is the Aboriginal rights struggle
Kirstie Parker, Mick Gooda say enough of fine words – close the gap a big fat lie
Highest child removal rates in the world worse than Stolen Generations
Other media:
A nation shamed when child sees suicide as the solution
Families urged to look after each other as suicide rates soar
Response to rash of suicides in remote WA regions
ABC 7:30 Report – Deaths in custody and jail rates
Radio:
Aboriginal Homelessness and Suicide
WGAR News: Land Grab In The Outback: Australia Unites Against Genocide of First Peoples with Gerry Georgatos and Elders: Global Freedom Movement Media
https://indymedia.org.au/2015/04/16/wgar-news-land-grab-in-the-outback-australia-unites-against-genocide-of-first-peoples
Contents:
* Extended Insightful Audio/Video Interview: Aimee Devlin & Brendan D. Murphy, Global Freedom Movement Media:
Land Grab In The Outback: Australia Unites Against Genocide of First Peoples with Gerry Georgatos and Elders [Featuring Bella & Herbert Bropho]
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Matargarup, home to the homeless – a safe space – take heed City of Perth Councillors
* News Analysis: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Jennifer Kaeshagen sets up The First Nations Homelessness Project
* Analysis / Opinion: Gerry Georgatos, The Stringer: Another misguided reductionist plan to reduce rates of suicide & self-harm …
* WGAR Background to Suicide and Self-harm in First Nations Communities …