I have had friends here commit suicide though not for medical reasons. One of them I would've known for 13 years had he been alive today.
I think that the option of suicide whether due to physical, mental or situational stress or unhappiness should be available to all. A quick read of the quote below will enlighten you as to how my country's government treats suicide.
Recently one of my friends was in hospital for a suicide attempt of overdosing and the doctor instructed her to tell the police she had take the wrong amount of the wrong medication as she couldn't see the pills in the dark. She told me that despite being in a state of delirium following the overdose and having had her stomach pumped and whatnot - she was interviewed by police officers at 5AM.
Quote:
In Singapore, attempting suicide is a crime under Section 309 of the Penal Code. A woman was recently sentenced to jail for repeated suicide attempts. Her case, even if unusual, spurs us to question a law that penalises people facing extreme distress, when they actually need social support.
Suicide is one of the top ten causes of death in Singapore. In 2011, the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS) handled more than 44,000 hotline calls, indicating the number of people contemplating suicide even if not attempting it. In recent years, suicide has increased among the elderly and the young. In 2011, the elderly made up 23% of all suicides, even though they constitute only 9.3 % of the population. From 2010 to 2011, the suicide mortality rate doubled among those aged 65-74 and those aged 85 and above. From 2008 to 2009, suicide among those aged 10-29 also rose by 70%, increasing from 64 to 91 deaths.
In 2009, the highest suicide rate – 28.7 per 100,000 – occurred among men aged 65 and above, more than double the national rate of 10.7. Suicide also increased among men aged 20-29, with their suicide rate almost doubling from 10.8 in 2008 to 20.1 in 2009. While suicide mortality rates among women and girls have declined in the last ten years, their highest suicide rate is also among those aged 65 and above, as for men and boys.
For every death resulting from suicide, there are seven suicide attempts. Arrests for attempted suicide have increased, from 706 in 2007 to 992 in 2011 (almost three a day).
|