Advocacy of suicide

Suicide
Social aspects Altruistic suicide Benevolent suicide Copycat Epidemic Euthanasia Legislation Philosophy Religious views Right to die
Suicide crisis Assessment of risk Crisis hotline (list) Intervention Prevention Suicide watch
Suicide types Assisted Bullying and suicide Copycat Familicide Forced Honor Internet Mass Murder–suicide Prisoner suicide Pact Suicide attack
Suicide methods Asphyxiation Hanging Train Cop Seppuku
Epidemiology Among LGBT youth Gender differences Suicide rates Youth suicide
History List of suicides Suicide in antiquity List of suicides in the 21st century
In warfare Banzai charge Kamikaze Suicide attack Suicide mission
Related phenomena Suicide attempt Locations Ideation Self-harm Suicide note Suicide terminology
By country Bangladesh Canada China France Greenland India Iran Japan Lithuania Pakistan Russia South Korea Ukraine United Kingdom United States
Organizations Compassion & Choices Death with Dignity National Center Dignitas Exit International Final Exit Network Hemlock Society

Advocacy of suicide has occurred in many cultures and subcultures. Confucianism holds that one should give up one's life, if necessary, either passively or actively, for the sake of upholding the cardinal moral values of ren (altruism) and yi (righteousness).^[1] The Japanese military during World War II encouraged and glorified kamikaze attacks, and Japanese society as a whole has been described as suicide 'tolerant' (see Suicide in Japan).

Internet

Advocacy of suicide has also taken place over the Internet. A study by the British Medical Journal found that Web searches for information on suicide are likely to return sites that encourage, and even facilitate, suicide attempts.^[2] While pro-suicide resources were less frequent than neutral or anti-suicide sites, they were nonetheless easily accessible.^[3] There is some concern that such sites may push the suicidal over the edge.^[4] Some people form suicide pacts with people they meet online.^[5] Becker writes, "Suicidal adolescent visitors risk losing their doubts and fears about committing suicide. Risk factors include peer pressure to commit suicide and appointments for joint suicides. Furthermore, some chat rooms celebrate chatters who committed suicide."^[6]

William Francis Melchert-Dinkel, 47 years old in May 2010, from Faribault, Minnesota, a licensed nurse from 1991 until February 2009, stands accused of encouraging people to commit suicide while he watched voyeuristically on a webcam.^{[7][8][9][10]} He allegedly told these contemplating suicide what methods worked best, that it was okay to commit suicide, that they would be better in heaven, and/or entered into suicide pacts with them.^[7][11] Melchert-Dinkel is charged with two counts of assisting suicide, for allegedly encouraging the suicides of a person in Britain in 2005 and another person in Canada in 2008.^[7][12]

Suzy's Law would ban sites that provide information on suicide methods or otherwise assist suicide.^[13] There have been some legal bans on pro-suicide web sites, most notably in Australia, but arguably such bans merely increase awareness of such sites and encourage site owners to move their sites to different jurisdictions.^[14]

See also

• Altruistic suicide: a suicide that is done for the benefit of others
• Church of Euthanasia
• Suicide attack
• alt.suicide.holiday
• Pro-ana and Pro-mia, advocacy of eating disorders
• Right to die
• Suicide prevention
• Thanatocracy

References