Supporting courageous voices discuss suicide and mental illness safely and responsibly

26 June 2014

Alexandra Culloden

Mindframe National Media Initiativewww.mindframe-media.info

@MindframeMedia

Conrad Browne

General ManagerJOY 94.9

www.joy.org.au

@joy949

Upfront

Suicide is a legitimate issue to be covered by the media

Mindframe does not suggest that media should refrain from covering this issue – however, media

need to be aware of the potential impact of covering suicide

Mindframe• Funded by Department

of Health NSPP

• Guided by national advisory groups (media, health, police, universities, entertainment)

• Aim: To disseminate evidence-based information to sectors to improve media coverage of suicide and mental illness.

So what does this mean for LGBTI media and community?

Suicide and mental illness in LGBTI communitiesLGBTI Health Alliance:• Most current statistics come from studies conducted

in the last decade• LGBTI people have significantly poorer mental health

and higher rates of suicide ideation than the general Australian population

• There is currently no population based research on LGBTI completed suicides in Australia

Suicide and mental illness in LGBTI communities• Private Lives I (2006):

– 49% of LGBTI men had experienced a major depressive episode– 45% of LGBTI women had experienced a major depressive

episode– 16% of all respondents had suicidal ideation in the two weeks

prior to the survey

• Suicide Prevention Australia (2009): – 28% LGBTI women have self harmed or attempted suicide

compared to 8.3% of heterosexual women– 20.8% of LGBTI men compared to 5.4% of heterosexual men

have self harmed.

What are the current suicide rates in Australia?

Why do we need to consider the way that we report suicide?

The evidence: suicide

• Media play a role in raising awareness of suicide and prevention behaviour as these are public health issues.

• The risk of copycat behaviour is increased when a story is prominent, about a celebrity, details method and/or location and glorifies the death in some way.

• People may be influenced by the report, particularly when they identify with the person in the report.

• Whilst healthy members of the community are unlikely to be affected, people in despair are often unable to find alternative solutions to their problems.

Resources to support safe and responsible reporting

• Reporting suicide and mental illness: A Mindframe resource for media professionals

• Quick reference cards:– Reporting suicide– Reporting mental illness– Helplines

Developing specific resources for reporting on suicide and mental illness in LGBTI community

• Partnership with MindOUT!• Training with LGBTI media• Consultation and evaluations:– needs of different groups in

reporting suicide and mental illness

– type of resource that may support these discussions

• Development and review process

Quick reference card for supporting safe and responsible reporting of suicide and mental illness in the LGBTI community

www.mindframe-media.infoalexandra.culloden@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au

@mindframemedia @AlexCulloden

Conrad BrowneGeneral Manager

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