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Safehaven/s
STATISTICS
The Federal Government
has delayed releasing suicide statistics over the past few years
and more recently have been delayed even further where they are
over two years behind.
Due to this we are
unable to determine how many deaths YEARLY there are.
Suicide/Mental Illness
is the cause of death of hundreds of thousands of lives every year.
Nothing alarms a family more than losing a loved one to suicide/mental
illness.
USA over 35,000,
China over 300,000, Japan over 33,000, India over 100,000.
In Australia it
is very difficult for us to estimate due to the process of collating
data determining a suicide. The coroner's role is to determine
the cause of death, not the leading circumstances to the death
but we estimate in excess of 8,000. This list goes on with a "Final
total of over 1 Million Suicides World Wide Yearly". This
is shear devastation in anyone's opinion.
Do their deaths
touch the hearts of the world? Are these people remembered with
dignity and respect? Are any buried by state funerals? If mass
suicides occur what is the reaction? Are the surviving families
helped in any way? Are there telethons to raise the much needed
funds? Are we caring, compassionate and understanding to those
suffering this dreaded illness and their surviving families?
Here in Australia
we know of families that have lost all their children to suicide
(4) in other families parents have lost three and two children.
Others have lost mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins,
uncles, aunties, grandparents etc. In many cases family members
are the first on the scene and have found their loved ones, their
own flesh and blood in horrific circumstances. All of these people
are traumatised, devastated but yet they must grieve in silence
and cope alone.
If a million people
were killed by any other means there would be a huge response/outcry.
Why the difference?
How many more people
must die before "Action Against Suicide" is taken seriously?
White
Wreath Memorial Services are held to:
 create
an awareness to the serious issue of mental illness and the need
to address it appropriately and immediately. create
awareness that there is a need to support and educate the families
and carers of people with mental illness so that they are better
prepared and able to support and care for their loved ones. remind
Government and the whole of Australia that every life is precious.
That these people are not just statistics, but are/were dearly loved
human beings, loved by their families and carers. |
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