Communities
Particular communities and groups have unique experiences of suicide loss and require an informed and sensitive response
These groups are often marginalised and misunderstood, and very often have a higher risk of suicide.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
While suicide is believed to have been a rare occurrence among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia in pre-colonial times, it has become increasingly prevalent over recent decades, accelerating after the 1980s...
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
Just as distinct as each CALD community is, the challenges for CALD-specific postvention are just as varied and complex. Unique factors and challenges that contribute to mental health and suicide bereavement...
LGBTQIA+
The elevated risk of suicidality among LGBTIQIA+ people is not due to sexuality, sex, or gender identity in and of themselves, but rather due to discrimination and exclusion...
Religious and Faith
The relationship between religion and faith and suicide (and thus suicide bereavement support) can be quite complex. Whilst religion and faith can be support...
Rural and Remote
A person's risk of suicide in Australia increases the further they live from a city, which may be attributable to less diagnosis and support for mental ill-health...
Veterans
Suicides among the veteran population occur at almost twice the rate of the general population. There is limited research in veteran suicide in Australia...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
While suicide is believed to have been a rare occurrence among the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of Australia in pre-colonial times, it has become increasingly prevalent over recent decades, accelerating after the 1980s, albeit with variations in rates and in geographical distribution from year to year. Today, however, the interconnected issues of cultural dislocation and disconnection, personal and intergenerational trauma, and the ongoing stresses of disadvantage, racism, alienation, and exclusion are all acknowledged as contributing to the disproportionate heightened risk of suicide and thus rates of suicide bereavement. Many of these factors overlap in the Indigenous Australian experience, creating a complex web of contributing factors with no singular solution.
Culturally responsive and trauma-informed post-suicide support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and individuals is thus particularly important.
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)
Just as distinct as each CALD community is, the challenges for CALD-specific postvention are just as varied and complex. Unique factors and challenges that contribute to mental health and suicide bereavement in CALD communities include:
- A lack of understanding about suicide and its contributing factors can limit and/or be a barrier to conversation
- Stigma, shame and guilt
- Specific religious beliefs and practices
- Migration and resettlement
- Breakdown of traditional culture, inter-generational conflict, changes in family roles
- Racism and discrimination
- Language barriers, especially surrounding mental health and suicide
- More complex needs due to the intersection of being from a CALD community with different categories such as gender, class, LGBTQIA+, location, access to health services and education, trauma, and many more
LGBTQIA+
The elevated risk of suicidality among LGBTIQIA+ people is not due to sexuality, sex, or gender identity in and of themselves, but rather due to discrimination and exclusion as key factors. Many LGBTIQIA+ people avoid certain situations due to fear of discrimination and/or fear of being ‘outed’, thus limiting the very social connectedness known to contribute to developing resilience and wellbeing. This culture also limits access to support both prevention and postvention.
Religion and Faith
The relationship between religion, faith and suicide (and thus suicide bereavement support) can be complex.
Whilst religion and faith can be a comforting source of support, sometimes religious beliefs can be barriers to or limit understanding of mental health and suicide. It can also create barriers to help-seeking for both suicide prevention and postvention support.
There may be moral and religious objections to suicide, for example, which may lead to increased blame on the bereaved family and potential isolation from the religious community. If the religion is a minority religion, this may also impact access to religious-specific support systems and services.
After losing someone to suicide, you may also begin to have questions around your spirituality: Was the divinity or spiritual entity involved in what happened? How? Is suicide a punishment? What kind of afterlife will people who die by suicide experience?
Religious leaders and communities can also be of great support after a suicide, as well as acting as gatekeepers to identify individuals who may be at risk of suicide. Religion can also play a major part in conducting memorial and funeral services for the bereaved families.
There are more resources and services for post-suicide support for religious and faith communities in our resource section below.
Rural and Remote
Context and Suicide Grief in Rural and Remote Communities
A person's risk of suicide in Australia increases the further they live from a city, which may be attributable to less diagnosis and support for mental ill-health in remote areas. Within rural and remote populations, those most at risk include men, young people, farmers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In remote parts of Australia, farmers die by suicide at five times the rate of non-farmers. There are many factors evident such as: isolation (both physical and emotional), a sense of history and family duty or legacy, increased access to means, alcohol use and enhanced gender roles and concepts of masculinity which hinder help-seeking behaviour, lack of specialised services. The “feast or famine” nature of farming also increases stress and reliance on social networks. Isolation, along with lack of social connectedness, can increase suicidality and create barriers to seeking suicide prevention and postvention support.
Veterans
Suicide among the veteran population occurs at almost twice the rate of the general population. This can be due to a combination of factors; military personnel can be repeatedly exposed to trauma, moral injury, a lack of access to mental health care, institutional issues, military transitions from the Australian Defence Force, and a growing sense of disconnection in society, economic issues due to deployments, relationship problems, along with quick turnaround between deployments.
Resources
For more suggestions, please visit our Resources Page for a number of helpful readings, guides and websites.
