This campaign has now closed

More and more people are turning to the internet for support when they are vulnerable and potentially suicidal. The internet creates new risks and challenges for suicide prevention, so research is needed for how and why the suicidal go online and the benefits/risks, the online environment create.

100%
Categories

Beneficiaries

Situation

The internet creates new risks for vulnerable and suicidal people, but also creates new opportunities for suicide prevention. There has been media hype about the danger of “suicide websites”, and calls to shut these websites down. However, there are difficulties with regulating or censoring the internet, and in shutting down spaces where people talk about how they feel. There is very little research about why and how people use “suicide websites”. Research is needed to manage these risks.

Solution

The research team at Samaritans are looking to better understand how and why the suicidal go online. Research in this area is sparse and it is important that we begin to understand the reasons why people turn to the online environment, what they are looking for and the potential benefits or risks these online spaces pose. This research will focus on ‘suicide forums/websites’ and provide a much needed qualitative insight into this subject area.

100%
Categories

Beneficiaries