• About Us
    • Fact Checking Policy
    • Ownership & funding information
    • Volunteer
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
    • Submissions Policy
  • Contact Us
The Online Citizen Asia
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Singapore
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Politics
    • Civil Society
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
No Result
View All Result
The Online Citizen Asia
No Result
View All Result

AWARE calls for suicide law reform on World Suicide Prevention Day

by onlinecitizen
08/09/2016
in Civil Society
Reading Time: 4 mins read
0

In view of World Suicide Prevention Day, which falls on 10 September, AWARE has today released its report “Distress is not a crime: repeal Section 309”.

The report calls for the reform of suicide laws and the improvement of support systems for those in distress – specifically, it seeks the reform and eventual repeal of Section 309 of the Penal Code, which makes attempted suicide an offence.

“Suicide is a matter for social support and public health, not criminal law,” said Jolene Tan, Head of Advocacy & Research at AWARE.  “Treating people as criminals worsens their distress, rather than resolving the underlying difficulties that lead to suicide attempts.  The World Health Organisation (WHO) has found that suicide rates tend to decline in countries after decriminalisation.”

The report argues that even if Section 309 is not repealed, the Criminal Procedure Code should be changed so that it is no longer a seizable offence or an offence that triggers mandatory reporting, as making arrest and reporting mandatory may increase distress and deter help-seeking.

“Ideally a specialist team with psychological first aid training should be the first responders in emergency situations,” said Jolene Tan.  “But if the police are involved, the process can be made less distressing by not requiring arrests.”

The report includes accounts from women that AWARE spoke to, who had negative experiences with law enforcement action related to Section 309:

  • One woman, E, said that because of the threat of being charged under Section 309, she would try harder to complete any suicide attempt in the future rather than seeking help.
  • A young woman, Z, who was investigated for deliberate non-suicidal self-harm, found the experience traumatising and said it led her to distrust the police.
  • A third woman, B, was taken to lock-up for a suicide attempt which followed her experience of rape. She found the police officers dealing with her mocking rather than supportive.

World Suicide Prevention Day is an annual worldwide initiative by the International Association for Suicide Prevention and WHO to increase awareness of suicide as a public health issue, and of suicide prevention strategies.

“How society responds to suicide attempts is crucial – the WHO has identified prior suicide attempts as the single most important risk factor for suicide,” said Jolene Tan.

In Singapore, there was an average of about 400 suicides and 1,000 cases of attempted suicide each year between 2010-2014.  While few criminal cases are filed and charged (five and one respectively in 2014), arrests are frequent – 862 in 2013 and 901 in 2014.

“The requirement to arrest creates a significant demand on police resources, which could be better used on developing psychological first aid capabilities and other priorities,” said Jolene Tan.

Dr Adrian Wang, a psychiatrist at Gleneagles Medical Centre, has said (in prior media reports) that globally, women in general have twice the attempted suicide rate as men.  How society treats those who attempt suicide will therefore have a particular impact on women.

In formulating the report, AWARE consulted a range of individuals and groups.  There was broad agreement among stakeholders that more can be done to ensure consistent support and sensitivity from all sectors of society toward people who attempt suicide.

AWARE’s key positions and recommendations

  1. Legal reform:
    1. Section 309 should be repealed. If it remains in the law, the Criminal Procedure Code should be amended so that it is not seizable and does not trigger mandatory reporting.
    2. Change the law to empower another agency (e.g. SCDF, a specialist support team) to prevent attempts, or give the police power to intervene solely for preventive purposes, without creating criminal liability (analogous to Section 7 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act, but applying beyond “mentally disordered” people).
  1. Develop an institutionalised response system for suicide attempts. For instance:
    1. Train all police officers in psychological first aid or,
    2. Set up specialised unit within police force who are specially trained or,
    3. Partner with NGO/VWO who will provide intervention teams to accompany police when responding to suicide attempts, or
    4. Set up a specialist psychological support unit that may also serve as a standby in a national crisis where people may need substantial psychological support.
  1. Proactively invest in promoting better support for people experiencing suicidal thoughts throughout all of society, including improving mental health support for all.
For just US$7.50 a month, sign up as a subscriber on The Online Citizen Asia (and enjoy ads-free experience on our site) to support our mission to transform TOC into an alternative mainstream press.

Related Posts

457 civil society organizations call on ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus
AFP

Myanmar junta sets out tough new rules for political parties

27/01/2023
Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate
AFP

Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate

27/01/2023
Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG
Labour

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

27/01/2023
One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study
AFP

One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

27/01/2023
Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia
Court Cases

Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe
AFP

Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

27/01/2023
Subscribe
Connect withD
Login
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
Notify of
Connect withD
I allow to create an account
When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account.
DisagreeAgree
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Latest posts

457 civil society organizations call on ASEAN to move beyond the Five-Point Consensus

Myanmar junta sets out tough new rules for political parties

27/01/2023
Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate

Thai ruling party names deputy PM as main election candidate

27/01/2023
Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

Mrs Teo says SG continues to invest in training local talent while MNCs transfer staff to work in SG

27/01/2023
One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

One third of Amazon ‘degraded’ by human activity, drought: study

27/01/2023
Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

Luxembourg court sets aside Sulu heirs’ attachment order to enforce US$15b claim against Malaysia

27/01/2023
Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

Philippines to appeal ICC resumption of drug war probe

27/01/2023

ASEAN governments must stop using ‘lawfare’ against critics, Southeast Asian MPs say

27/01/2023
Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

Low Yen Ling says MTI and MAS don’t expect persistent inflation but they now say inflation projected to “stay elevated”

27/01/2023

Trending posts

Two Indian nationals paid about S$330 and S$730 respectively for forged certificates submitted in their S-Pass application

MOM found issuing EPs meant for foreign PMETs to PRC waitress and general worker

by Correspondent
26/01/2023
32

...

Ho Ching breaks silence over Temasek’s write down of its US$275 million investment in FTX, says it “can afford to be contrarian”

US regulator questions VCs’ due diligence work prior to investing in FTX; Ho Ching says Temasek can afford to be contrarian

by The Online Citizen
24/01/2023
28

...

Indian rupee falls 60% since signing of CECA while Singapore becomes top investor in India

by Correspondent
25/01/2023
48

...

AWARE calls for suicide law reform on World Suicide Prevention Day

by onlinecitizen
08/09/2016
0

...

“党籍不会过期失效”  前进党称已就党籍终止知会卡拉

AGC asked to explain purposes of 68 private letters of inmates illegitimately forwarded to prosecutors

by The Online Citizen
21/01/2023
16

...

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

Temasek and GIC reportedly in talks with Adani Group accused of “brazen” market manipulation and accounting fraud

by The Online Citizen
26/01/2023
32

...

September 2016
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
« Aug   Oct »
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Letter submission
  • Contact Us

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

No Result
View All Result
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Commentaries
    • Comments
  • Current Affairs
    • Malaysia
    • Indonesia
    • China
    • ASEAN
    • Asia
    • International
  • Finance
    • Economics
    • Labour
    • Property
    • Business
  • Community
    • Civil Society
    • Arts & Culture
    • Consumer Watch
    • NGO
  • Politics
    • Parliament
    • Transport
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
  • Law & Order
    • Legislation
    • Court Cases
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
  • Subscribers login

© 2006 - 2021 The Online Citizen

wpDiscuz