GUIDELINES

FOR COVERAGE OF SUICIDES

Preventing Suicide: A Resource for Media Professionals World Health Organization What to do: Work closely with health authorities in presenting the facts. Refer to suicide as a completed suicide, not a successful one. Present only relevant data, on the inside pages. Highlight alternatives to suicide. Provide information on help lines and community resources. Publicize risk indicators and warning signs. What not to do: Don't publish photographs or suicide notes. Don't report specific details of the method used. Don't give simplistic reasons. Don't glorify or sensationalize suicide. Don't use religious or cultural stereotypes. Don't apportion blame. Suicide Sensitive Journalism Handbook Centre for Policy Alternatives and PressWise Trust (UK) What to avoid when reporting suicide: Simplifying the reasons for suicide. Suicide is rarely the result of a single factor or event, but rather results from a complex interaction of many factors and usually involves a history of psycho-social problems, particularly depression. Engaging in repetitive, or excessive reporting of suicide. Sensational coverage of suicide. News Coverage of a suicide is likely to heighten interest in suicide among the general public. Describing explicit, technical details about suicide methods. Presenting suicide as an appropriate or acceptable way of solving personal problems. Suicide is usually a rare and desperate measure adopted by a troubled or depressed person. Glorifying suicide or people who kill themselves. News coverage is less likely to contribute to suicide contagion when reports of community expressions of grief are minimized. Focusing on the dead persons positive characteristics. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REPORTING ON SUICIDE American Association for Suicide Prevention SUGGESTIONS FOR ONLINE MEDIA, MESSAGE BOARDS, BLOGGERS & CITIZEN JOURNALISTS Bloggers, citizen journalists and public commentators can help reduce risk of contagion with posts or links to treatment services, warning signs and suicide hotlines. Include stories of hope and recovery, information on how to overcome suicidal thinking and increase coping skills. The potential for online reports, photos/videos and stories to go viral makes it vital that online coverage of suicide follow site or industry safety recommendations. Social networking sites often become memorials to the deceased and should be monitored for hurtful comments and for statements that others are considering suicide. Message board guidelines, policies and procedures could support removal of inappropriate and/or insensitive posts. GUIDELINES ON COVERAGE OF SUICIDES Hong Kong Journalists Association News Organizations should exercise a certain degree of self-restraint and try to avoid creating any "copy-cat" effect. Reporting on Suicide By Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz, The Poynter Institute Suicide is never the result of a single incident. Blaming the media, or anybody else, for a suicide is not likely to be of much use.

Editors and reporters should in particular be aware of the impact that stories about suicides might have on the vulnerable.

Details of the method or the location a suicide victim uses may lead to copycat suicides. A reporter should not risk providing another person considering suicide with the details of how it can be achieved.

Journalists should adopt a low-key approach in handling suicide news.

It's vital to use statistics and mental health information very carefully.

Journalists should avoid a detailed description of the suicide method. The media should avoid giving a false impression that suicide is a way to become famous.

Suicide coverage is an opportunity to provide the public with information and resources that could save lives. People who commit suicide do not do so suddenly, even if it might appear so at first glance. There are warning signs, and any coverage of suicide should incorporate them.

The media should respect the privacy of family members and avoid imposing on the grief of those affected.

It's important to avoid romanticizing suicide or suggesting it's been used to "solve" a problem.

Recommendations on Portrayal: Use appropriate languageuse phrases like: a suicide, die by suicide, a suicide attempt, a completed suicide, person at risk of suicide, and help prevent suicide. Encourage public understanding of the complexity of suicide. Seek expert advice. Debunk the common myths about suicide. Encourage explanation of the risk factors of suicide. Consider the timing. Coincidental deaths by suicide of two or more people may make the events more topical and newsworthy, but additional care is required. Include details of further sources of information and advice. Remember the effect on survivors of suicidethe bereaved and those who have attempted suicide in the past.

Since there are many complicated reasons for suicides, journalists should avoid simplicity and blaming any party for a particular case.

When reporting individual cases, newspapers should consider publishing information about organizations and counseling services, which may prevent suicides.