A CORONER has called on editors and journalists to end the evading and “cover-up” in the reporting of deaths by suicide.
Coroner John Cannon was speaking at the inquest into the death of a South African national who took his own life near Letterkenny, Co Donegal, last year.
Hans Loubser (42), from the Sea Point area of Cape Town, was found in the back of a rented van near New Mills, Letterkenny, on August 20th last. At Letterkenny Coroner’s Court, Mr Cannon described suicide as a “tragic phenomenon” which mainly affected young men. “Death by suicide leaves a terrible burden of guilt and grief on the family. The trail of trauma left behind is unimaginable. It’s a pity they would not stop and think again,” Mr Cannon said.
He claimed suicide was becoming very prominent in Ireland because deaths had not been given precedence in the traditional media. “Most deaths due to road traffic accidents are routinely given national news coverage, quite often making news headlines.
“However, coverage of deaths by suicide, which have equally high numbers of fatalities, seems to be best left unwritten.” Mr Cannon added that coverage of road crashes may be thought-provoking and have a beneficial effect by alerting people to the fatal dangers of speed, carelessness and overindulgence of alcohol.
“However, it appears that coverage of suicide fatalities is believed to have the opposite effect – lest it should encourage emulation.
“I know there are still observable elements of social stigma surrounding the reporting of suicide deaths and, quite possibly, this is primarily the single reason why suicide is not given the same prominence in journalistic reporting.
“On the other hand, there is no doubt, is the desire on the part of the editors and journalists not to exacerbate the grief of already distraught families and friends.” He added that when suicide deaths were reported, they were often vague and the reader was given “a hint”, such as the use of the word “tragic” without any reason being offered.
“To me, it comes across that the lack of an explanation is in itself the explanation,” Mr Cannon said.
He added that journalists should not be seen to deny that often details of suicides were already spreading worldwide by new electronic communication.
“Therefore, if the news is already out, one would ask why the traditional media tend to suggest that suicide does not exist, or else, that it is not a major social phenomenon. I personally think that the code of practice of such non- reporting belonged to an old time, less-wired world.”
He said he recently attended a coroners’ conference at which the media coverage of suicide was discussed. “It was felt that the media ought to chart a sensible and realistic course, from the past traditions of evading or cover-up, to a new mode of acceptable reporting in a way that does justice to the social realities involved, without exploiting human grief in such sensitive cases.”
Reporting of suicides in newspapers could promote information about helplines and other positive initiatives, he added. “I personally think that, with discretion, there should be openness and transparency in such reporting,” he said.