COVID-19: why so many Japanese women commit suicide in pandemic pandemic – fresh news

COVID-19: Why do so many Japanese women commit suicide during pandemic pandemic? – Thai BBC

By Rupert Wingfield-Hayes

BBC Tokyo correspondent

Japan has a faster and more accurate system for collecting and reporting suicide cases than any other country in the world. And suicide statistics during the COVID-19 crisis Of Japanese people from the past year is especially worrying

The number of suicides in 2020 increased for the first time in 11 years, however, with slightly fewer Japanese men committed suicide. While women committed suicide almost 15% more.

In October of last year, the suicide rate among women rose 70% compared to the same period a year earlier.

What happened? Why does it look like COVID-19? Will affect more Japanese women

Warning: This article may contain some uncomfortable content.

Meeting and talking to a woman who has attempted suicide many times made me feel bad. But at the same time, it helps to appreciate the more people who work to help people with this problem.

I’m sitting at the Bond Project charity rescue center, located in Yokohama’s sex service district, a 19-year-old woman cutting her bob short. Sitting still across from me

Then she slowly told me a personal story. She said her brother began violently abusing her at the age of 15 when she eventually fled the house. But that doesn’t stop the pain and the feeling of loneliness fade away.

Suicide seemed to be the only solution at the time.

“From about this period of last year I went to the hospital a lot of times, ”she says.“ I tried to kill myself several times, but I failed. Now I will give up Not trying to die. “

It’s a Bond Project charity that can help her. They found her a safe place to live and started talking to her full psychotherapist.

Jun Tachibana, founder of Bond Project, is a tough woman in her 40s who likes to be optimistic.

“When a girl has a problem and is in pain They really don’t know what to do. We are here. Ready to listen and tell them We are with them right here. “

Tachibana says it looks like COVID-19. Will push even more vulnerable people even worse She said the charity staff had to listen to a lot of bad stories.

“We heard people say “I want to die” and “I don’t know where to go” often… They say, “So much pain, I’m so lonely that I want to disappear” … “

And the plague makes the situation even worse.

“The girl I spoke to the other day said she was sexually abused by her father,” says Tachibana. Her father did not go to work, so she could not escape from him. “

Strange tendency

In Japan’s past crises, whether it was the 2008 or early 90s economic crisis, most of the middle-aged men were affected. And more suicidal men during that time

But COVID-19 affects the new generation. Especially women But the reasons for explaining this phenomenon are complex.

Japan used to have the highest suicide rate among developed countries. But in the past decade Reduced by about 1 in 3

Professor Michiko Ueda, one of the leading researchers, said: It’s shocking to look at the statistics from the past few months. And the suicidal tendencies among women are particularly strange.

She said she had never seen such a large increase before. “In the outbreak of COVID-19 Most of the industries that are most affected have working women, such as tourism. Retail business And food business “

Japanese women are increasingly choosing to remain single, and Prof Ueda said women were also less likely to pursue stable careers.

“Many women are no longer married. … They have to take care of their lives. And they have no full time job. So what happens when They will be hit very hard. “

Last October was especially bad. Of the 897 women committed suicide, 70% more than the same month in the previous year.

Back on Sept. 27, last year, the famous actor Yuko Take Yushi committed suicide at his inn.

Yasuyuki Shimizu, a former journalist who turned to a non-profit organization dedicated to suicide, said, “From the day of the news report, the news has changed. There has been an increase in the number of suicides and has stayed like that for about 10 days. “

Shimizu said that when viewed from the information The actor’s suicide on Sept. 27 led to the suicide of another 207 women over the next 10 days.

And even more shocking that it was a group of women who were similar in age to Takeyushi The most suicide

Several experts said There was a link between the suicide of the famous person and the sudden increase in the number of suicides.

This kind of phenomenon is not new to Japan. And it is difficult to report news The more this is discussed in media and social media. It only affects very vulnerable groups.

For now, Japan is facing a third outbreak and the government declares a state of emergency, with restaurants, bars and hotels shut down. And the more people will lose their jobs

Prof Ueda questions that if this phenomenon occurs in Japan where there is no strict lockdown measure, And very few people died from the epidemic. What is the situation of suicide in other countries more affected by the pandemic?

If you need someone to talk to You can call the Samaritan Association of Thailand at 02-7136793 at 12.00-22.00 or the Department of Mental Health Hotline 1323 or you can send a message to the Samaritans Association of Thailand Facebook page.

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