Following the suicide of transgender teenager Leelah Alcorn, Sarah Ditum wrote a piece at the beginning of January criticising the media’s lack of adherence to the Samaritans “Media Guidelines for Writing about Suicide“. She argues that transgender people are particularly at risk of suicidal thoughts, so when journalists (and bloggers) turn “a death into a good story, the grotesque possibility is that there will be someone scared and lonely listening to us, who will turn that good story into their own death.” Here is the list of the Samaritans 10 things to remember when reporting a suicide:
1. Leave out technical details about the method of suicide, such as describing the type of ligature used or the number and types of pills taken in an overdose. Never suggest that a method is quick, easy, painless or certain to result in death.
2. Language matters. Avoid dramatic headlines and terms such as ‘suicide epidemic’ or ‘hot spot’.
3. Include references to support groups and places where suicidal people can find help – it really does make a difference.
4. Treat social media with particular caution and refrain from mentioning websites or networks that promote or glamorise suicide.
5. Avoid dramatic or sensationalist pictures or video. Refrain from including content from suicide notes.
6. Young people are especially vulnerable to negative suicide coverage. Do not give undue prominence to photographs of a young person who has died and avoid repeated use of images such as galleries.
7. Try not to give a story undue prominence, for example with a front cover splash.
8. Don’t brush over the complex realities of suicide and its impact on those left behind. Remember that people bereaved by suicide are often vulnerable and are more likely to take their own lives than the general population.
9. Speculation about the ‘trigger’ for a suicide, even if provided by a close family member, should be avoided.
10. Use statistics with caution. Check with Samaritans or the relevant national statistical agency to make sure you have the most recent data and are comparing like with like.
Following the events in Paris yesterday, I have found myself thinking whether we need some suggested guidelines for how the media, as well as the rest of us, talk about acts of violence. I’ve had a little play around with them and this is what I’ve come up with. Of course, there are places where the analogy is more than a little stretched, but anyways… here goes:
- Leave out intricate details about the strategy or method of violence, such as describing the type of weapons, guns or chemicals used. Never suggest that a method is quick, easy or certain to result in death.
- Language matters. Avoid dramatic headlines including ‘massacre’ or ‘rampage’ and ethnicity-defining terms such as ‘of North African appearance’.
- Include references to groups and places where people can nurture community and radical friendship across lines of differences. Meeting people face-to-face really does make a difference.
- Treat social media with particular caution and refrain from mentioning websites or networks that promote or glamorise hate and violence.
- Avoid dramatic or sensationalist pictures or video. Refrain from including content from the Daily Mail.
- Young people are especially vulnerable to negative, hateful and violent coverage. Do not give undue prominence to photographs of a terrorist who has died and avoid repeated use of images such as galleries.
- Try not to give certain stories (usually focusing on acts of violence perpetuated by people from specific ethnic backgrounds claiming a particular faith/ political ethic) undue prominence (at the expense of reporting acts of violence by white, male, atheists from America, for example).
- Don’t brush over the complex realities of terrorism and its impact on those left behind. Remember that relatives of terrorists are often vulnerable and are also likely to feel isolated and grieved by the lives that have been lost and damaged as a result of their relative’s actions.
- Speculation about the ‘trigger’ for an act of terror, even if provided by a close family member, should be avoided.
- Use statistics with caution. Check with other media outlets or relevant national statistical agency to make sure you have the most recent data and are comparing like with like.
What do you think?
stumbling hopefully in the right direction 
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