Changing the Narrative on Suicide

September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a chance for organisations and communities around the world to work together to raise awareness and campaign for better suicide prevention. As the International Association for Suicide Prevention highlights, “It is estimated that there are currently more than 720,000 suicides per year worldwide” with suicide remaining “a critical global issue, affecting individuals and communities worldwide”. In England and Wales, 2023 saw the registration of 6,069 suicides, the highest rate since 1999 and for women the rate is the highest seen since 1994.

Changing the narrative, engaging in open and honest discussions about suicide and suicidal behaviour is the first step towards inspiring individuals, communities, organisations, and governments to break down barriers, raise awareness, and create better cultures of understanding and support.

Just as journalists have responsibilities when reporting on suicide in order to avoid the risk of imitational acts, inquest lawyers, whether acting for a family or another Interested Person owe responsibilities, keenly felt when an inquest involves a death by suicide. The words of Cian Murphy, Barrister captured this responsibility when giving an expert insight to the Voicing Loss research and policy project. 

“Working as an inquest lawyer necessarily means working for, or alongside, vulnerable bereaved families, in an unusual corner of the legal system, which people seldom encounter, except under the worst circumstances”.

The inquest team at Bevan Brittan have paused to reflect on how we can help change the narrative, especially when acting for health and social care providers in an inquest. Our focus has been on the vital role of language and more specifically how unwittingly this can add to the stigmatisation of suicide. Sadly, many stigmatising phrases and ways of talking about suicide have become ingrained into everyday language. Despite suicide not being a crime since 1961, often people still speak of 'committing' suicide, reinforcing the stigma that it’s a selfish act and a personal choice. Using neutral phrasing like 'died by suicide' helps remove shame or blame.

In the same vein, as lawyers, we can be remiss in using phrases such as successful or completed suicide, framing a tragic outcome in positive language. It’s time to change the narrative and the language we use when talking about suicide. The Voicing Loss research and policy project captures powerful insights from those acting for families, questioning whether the inquest process can ever deliver the answers, accountability and learning that families who have been let down by failures in the system, need. There are others who still hold the view that inquests are the last, posthumous service from the State .

The challenge for an inquest lawyer, then, is to engage with the inquest process with complete empathy, ensuring that whilst addressing the forensic requirements of the process, through their words and language, especially when death by suicide is concerned, we do not compound harm. 

For more useful tips on how to talk about suicide, take part in Zero Suicide Alliance’s free 30-minute online training.

For further guidance on the language to avoid when discussing suicide, click here to read the guidance from the team at Shining a Light on Suicide.