Lifeline Fiji’s toll free help line has received 2900 calls from January to June this year, where 40 percent of the callers were at high risk of suicide and 5 percent had made plans for suicide but decided to make one last call for help.
Programs Director Jeremiah Merekula highlighted this at the launch of their Life is for Living campaign today which is a build up to the World Suicide Prevention Day which falls on the 10th of September, 2018.
Police confirm that 607 suicides and 669 attempted suicide cases were reported from years 2011 to 2016.
For the last six years there has been a notable increase of suicide and attempted suicide cases in all divisions.
In the suicide category, the western division topped the list with 48% followed by Southern division with 24%, and the Eastern and Northern divisions recording 14% each.
The majority age group of victims involved in the cases of suicide and attempted suicide are between 17 and 25 years and 26 years and over age category.
Police Director of Operations SSP Maritino Qiolevu says males are twice as likely as females to commit suicide.
He says some of the reasons for suicide and attempted suicide in males are due to financial obligations which they cannot meet, rejection from family over choice of partners, and rejection from spouse and poor exam results.
He says other reasons for both males and females are domestic disputes, relationship problems, relationship at the work place, humiliation by school heads and teachers, loss of employment and employment conflicts.
If you are facing any of these problems, assistance is available for you.
Please call Lifeline Fiji on 132454.
