Facebook Live a new platform for public suicides
Social media may connect the world like never before, but as it develops, so do new social media trends—some
of which are quite alarming.
In recent months, stories about suicides broadcasted via social media have garnered national attention and awareness of suicide.
The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows, in 2015, 44,193 people committed suicide, which was the 10th-leading cause of death that year.
In 2015, the highest suicide rate was among adults between 45 and 64 years of age at 19.6, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). In the same year, the suicide rate for adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 24 was 12.5. Over the years, younger groups have had lower suicide rates than middle-aged and older adults. Courtesy of Facebook Newsroom
However, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among those ages 15 to 24, according to the American Association of Suicidology.
The most recent suicides broadcasted on Facebook Live have been by adolescents and young adults in and around that age group. Three happened within one month of each other.
On January 23, Frederick Jay Bowdy, 33, shot himself inside a car in North Hollywood, California, just days after being accused of sexual assault. Bowdy, an aspiring actor, did so while broadcasting a Facebook Live video.
Bowdy’s suicide came less than one day after Nakia Venant, 14, killed herself with a homemade noose on Facebook Live in an apartment she shared with her foster parents in Miami.
Weeks earlier, Katelyn Nicole Davis, 12, live streamed her suicide from her front lawn in Cedartown, Georgia. She reportedly told viewers she decided to take her own life on Dec. 30 during a forty-minute video because she had been physically and sexually abused by a relative.
Though an incident as such has not occurred in Mississippi, the state has a suicide rate above the national rate, according to the AFSP. The national rate is 12.94 per 100,000 people.
In order to keep Mississippi’s rate from climbing, the Dream Prevention Center of Hattiesburg teamed up with state officials to help prevent suicide across the state.
“We’re wrapping up the finishing touches on our suicide statewide prevention plan, and that will focus on media campaigns,” said Executive Director, Dr. Linda Vasquez.
In Mississippi, the third-leading cause of death among teens is
suicide, according to the Mississippi Department of Mental
Health. Dr. Vasquez says that is the target audience.
Courtesy of American Foundation For Suicide Prevention
“We’ll focus on media campaigns for high school students as well as college students and other adults,” Dr.
Vasquez said. “You have information for Shatter the Silence, and we use those campaigns and billboards so that there’s access to people. In our state, you can call our 800-number, get a person and get those referrals. So no one is really ever alone or ever in despair.”
Among the many suicide risk factors and warning signs, the one that individuals exhibited prior to the act of suicide via Facebook Live was talking about wanting to die or to kill themselves.
Facebook initially had only a suicide prevention page in its help center as a way to help prevent suicide. But, the series of live-streamed suicides on the network have prompted Facebook to provide a more accessible extension.
Courtesy of Facebook Newsroom
The way it works, according to Facebook, is that a person viewing a live video can reach out directly, report the video or choose from a list of resources to help the individual. For the person broadcasting the video, private messages will pop up that will offer options to reach out to someone, contact a helpline or see other tips.
HubCity TV reporter, Jaclyn Coleman evaluated the local response to suicide in relation to social media suicides.
Coleman discovered that Dream of Hattiesburg has a mission to help prevent numerous harmful acts like suicide. Also, there is no single reason why someone may commit suicide, but certain factors can increase the risk.
Regardless of the reason, behavior specialist, Anita Knott, believes talking about suicide can possibly save a life.
Dr. Linda Vasquez/Exec Director of Dream in Hattiesburg. Photo: Jaclyn Coleman)
“I think its really important because a lot of times, especially with your adolescents, your younger students, they don’t realize whatever situation that they’re in is not the end of the world,” said Knott.
If a person is at risk of suicide, he or she or a family member is urged to call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255. The hotline is free, confidential and available 24/7.
