Breaking the Silence: We say Suicide is NOT a crime.

“Suicide prevention is a myth.” 

“Fear of punishment will deter youth from self-harm and suicide attempts.”

These are all actual phrases that I have heard in my career in mental health research and advocacy. Perhaps for most people outside policymaking, the impact of legislation on suicide prevention or saving lives is not a straightforward connection to visualise. From my experience working towards legislative changes that directly impact suicide rates, I have penned down some of the most frequently asked questions by government officials, legislators and even some policymakers to draw out this linkage between suicide prevention and policy change. 

What is the need for suicide prevention? Globally, an estimated 720,000 individuals lose their lives to suicide each year and for each person who dies, many more have attempted suicide. While it affects people of all ages, it is the third leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds. Given the global burden of suicide deaths and its devastating impact on the community, suicide prevention needs to be recognised as a priority public health issue. 

Can you actually prevent suicide? While suicide is a complex issue, targeted policy change can lead to a decline in suicide rates. For example, phasing out of carbon monoxide ovens in the 1950s-60s led to suicide deaths in the UK falling by a quarter! By 1975, gas poisoning had completely disappeared. Suicide is a public health challenge and can be addressed through evidence based strategies. Research shows that suicide rates can be reduced through a combination of factors such as restricting access to means of suicide, investing in psychosocial support, early identification and intervention in case of suicidal behaviours, and responsible media reporting. 

Over the years, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recognised evidence based policy changes as effective means of suicide prevention. This blog series will discuss two of these legislative changes that can positively impact suicide prevention efforts: 

a) Decriminalisation of suicide and suicide attempts 

b) Banning of highly hazardous pesticides (HHPs) 

Breaking the Silence: We say Suicide is NOT a crime.

In this part, we’ll examine the need for and importance of decriminalisation of suicide and suicide attempts.

Why is this an important problem to address? Suicide is a public health issue and not a crime. However, 25 countries around the world continue to criminalise suicide. Most suicide attempts are hidden due to guilt, and shame. Fear of imprisonment or fines adds to this stigma, further marginalising those in need of help and preventing them from seeking it. 

Why did countries have this legislation in the first place? In many of these countries, criminalisation is a British colonial legacy law, which has origins in the idea that individuals “belong” to the state and suicide was seen as an act of forfeiture—a rejection of the ownership and control imposed upon them. While the UK decriminalised suicide in 1961, it continued to persist in some countries in the Caribbean and Africa. In some countries, there are religious mandates that exist against taking one’s life, which led lawmakers to codify it into law or use these as justifications to retain colonial laws. Ghana, Pakistan and Guyana were able to repeal this law in the parliament following awareness building activities and strategic advocacy targeting key stakeholders, including policymakers and religious leaders.   

Won’t criminalisation deter people from dying by suicide? On the contrary, criminalisation prevents survivors from seeking help and can exacerbate the risk of a repeated attempt. Criminalisation has actually been associated with a higher rate of suicide, especially among women in countries with lower rates of development. 

Why would communities want to repeal this legislation? In some countries, it leads to oppressive social practices such as denial of common burial grounds or shunning of the family which has lost a loved one to suicide, which further marginalises people who are in need of psychosocial support. Survivors of mental illness, and suicide deserve empathy, compassion, and dignified care. 

How will it help governments make better suicide prevention policies? Criminalisation results in under-reporting and misclassification of suicide deaths and suicide attempts. This results in governments underinvesting in mental healthcare, and deprioritising suicide prevention efforts. It is important to monitor suicide and self-harm data to develop informed policies such as focusing on vulnerable age and gender groups (suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds), protecting marginalised communities (sexual, ethnic, or racial minorities), and restricting means of suicides (pesticides, drugs and weapons).

How do things improve after decriminalisation? Decriminalisation can enable governments to develop and implement effective suicide prevention measures, which earlier might have been viewed as conflicting with existing legal frameworks in the country. In countries like Singapore, decriminalisation enabled the police and first responders to facilitate mental health support for survivors of suicide attempts instead of imprisoning them. 

Guyana adopted a national suicide prevention act shortly after decriminalisation and multiple consultations are ongoing to build capacities of first responders, and address the various determinants of suicide. 

To truly decolonise laws, uphold human rights, and ensure the dignity of its citizens, nations should decriminalise and recognise suicide as a priority public health issue.

Learn more about what it takes to decriminalise suicide in our report researched together with the Trust Law, Thomson Reuters Foundation’s global pro bono legal programme.  

Read Part 2 on ‘Banning of highly hazardous pesticides to prevent suicides’ .