Opinion | Amid spate of youth suicides, Hong Kong must weave a safety net

A recent spate of student suicides in Hong Kong has reignited public anguish and concern over the mental well-being of the city’s youth, especially with regard to a possible contagious or copycat effect. As chairman of the 2016 government-appointed student suicide prevention committee, I am compelled to revisit our findings and call for urgent collective action to contain any likely spread.
The 2016 report explicitly appealed for a holistic and public health approach to suicide prevention. What we said then is still valid. It is a shame that there is still much room for improvement in building a community safety net for our youth. Each lost life represents an unfathomable tragedy – shattering a family, scarring a school and leaving a community in despair.
Suicide is preventable, but it requires a society-wide commitment to vigilance, empathy and systemic change rather than some sporadic, fragmented approach. The community has invested considerably in mental health yet the impact is still limited. We could achieve more if measures address the core issue of mental health.

To understand the recent suicides, our centre collaborated with the police negotiation team, experts and researchers to analyse the cases. The findings underscore a sobering truth: suicide stems from a tangled web of factors.

Family dynamics, triggering events and individual vulnerabilities vary widely. Even students in similar circumstances may respond differently to stressors. It would be naive if not fruitless to look for a single solution to such a complex problem.

While data from the Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention puts Hong Kong’s latest suicide rate at four per 100,000 for students aged 25 or younger – which translates to one student across 50 schools of 500 pupils each – the unpredictability of risk defies simplistic solutions. Relying solely on identifying “high-risk” individuals is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.

Source link

Visited 1 times, 1 visit(s) today

Related Article

Hong Kong schools don’t have enough teachers trained in AI, sector veterans say

Hong Kong schools don’t have enough teachers trained in AI, sector veterans say

Hong Kong schools do not have enough trained teachers or class time to help students improve their knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) amid a government push to get young people interested in the technology, education sector veterans have said. But one prominent AI scholar said schools first needed to teach students about ethical issues surrounding

Hongkongers wake up to cool weather, as temperatures fall to 15 degrees Celsius

Hongkongers wake up to cool weather, as temperatures fall to 15 degrees Celsius

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hongkongers woke up to cool weather on Sunday as temperatures fell to about 15 degrees Celsius (59 Fahrenheit) in urban areas, while

The scheme cost the government HK$4.09 billion in 2023-24, of which roughly 54 per cent, or HK$2.21 billion, covered passengers aged 60 to 64. Photo: Jelly Tse

No plans to split elderly into groups for HK$2 transport fare: Hong Kong minister

Hong Kong will retain the eligibility age for the HK$2 (26 US cents) public transport concessionary fare while overhauling other aspects of the scheme, despite data showing that younger users account for the bulk of the subsidy expense, the welfare minister has said. Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that society should not distinguish among

The scheme cost the government HK$4.09 billion in 2023-24, of which roughly 54 per cent, or HK$2.21 billion, covered passengers aged 60 to 64. Photo: Jelly Tse

No plans to split elderly into groups for HK$2 transport fare: Hong Kong minister

Hong Kong will retain the eligibility age for the HK$2 (26 US cents) public transport concessionary fare while overhauling other aspects of the scheme, despite data showing that younger users account for the bulk of the subsidy expense, the welfare minister has said. Chris Sun Yuk-han said on Saturday that society should not distinguish among

Beijing steps up attack on Hong Kong’s Hutchison, warning over ‘dancing’ with US

Beijing steps up attack on Hong Kong’s Hutchison, warning over ‘dancing’ with US

Beijing has stepped up attacks on Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing’s CK Hutchison Holdings over its Panama Canal ports sale by sharing another commentary warning entrepreneurs who choose to “dance with Americans” will have no future even if they secure a “big deal”. The article, published by pro-Beijing newspaper Ta Kung Pao on Saturday and

Hong Kong’s New Town project could threaten 29 bird species, green groups say

Hong Kong’s New Town project could threaten 29 bird species, green groups say

Hong Kong environmentalists are worried that at least 29 species of birds might be threatened by the New Town project, going by early plans for the Northern Metropolis megaproject. Wong Suet-mei, a senior conservation manager at the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society, said the outlined plan for the New Territories North New Town, the largest

Hong Kong consumer watchdog receives 12 complaints over Deliveroo membership

Hong Kong consumer watchdog receives 12 complaints over Deliveroo membership

Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog has received 12 complaints related to the membership status of users of food delivery platform Deliveroo, which will exit the city next month with its subscribers being given complimentary plans with rival Foodpanda. Consumer Council chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han said on Saturday that the complaints involved about HK$5,000 in total,

Paul Chan says training will significantly enhance young people’s interest in technology. Photo: Eugene Lee

AI training for Hong Kong pupils as tech giant Tencent launches academy

Mainland Chinese tech giant Tencent has launched a new academy in Hong Kong which will offer training on artificial intelligence (AI) and programming to tens of thousands of local pupils. The inauguration ceremony of the WeTech Academy was held at Polytechnic University on Saturday, with the city shifting towards a technology-driven economy in line with

China’s secret plan for a US$1 trillion reserves fund in Hong Kong

Halfway up a 37-storey tower overlooking Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, within walking distance from the People’s Liberation Army barracks and the classy Hong Kong Club, sits an unassuming office of a fund manager with an outsize role in the global financial markets. The spartan office, with two tiny flags of China and Hong Kong providing

Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park area needs stronger business ecosystem: lawmakers

Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Sports Park area needs stronger business ecosystem: lawmakers

Hong Kong lawmakers have called for more efforts to boost the business ecosystem around Kai Tak Sports Park to encourage retail and restaurant spending in the area, with the Rugby Sevens set to move to the venue next month. Perry Yiu Pak-leung, a legislator representing the tourism sector, also said on Saturday that most hotel

Delegate Starry Lee has said Hong Kong needs to improve its services to ensure visitors have positive experiences and will be interested in coming back. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong multiple-entry scheme ‘likely to cover more mainland cities this year’

A multiple-entry scheme granting Shenzhen residents unlimited trips to Hong Kong is likely to be expanded this year to cover travellers from other mainland Chinese cities, the city’s sole representative in the nation’s top legislative body has said, while calling for Beijing and Shanghai’s inclusion under the policy. Delegate Starry Lee Wai-king of the National

3 people, including child, injured when truck crashes into Tesla in Hong Kong

3 people, including child, injured when truck crashes into Tesla in Hong Kong

Three people, including a young child, were injured when a truck collided with a Tesla car in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Tong on Saturday. Police said the male driver of the Tesla was travelling with four passengers along Waterloo Road in the direction of Tsim Sha Tsui when he was forced to slow down near Lancashire

Jason Yau and Kung Yik She students among top winners at Hong Kong Flower Show

Jason Yau and Kung Yik She students among top winners at Hong Kong Flower Show

Photo shows the winning garden plot of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department Western Style Garden Plot Competition. 15th March 2025 – (Hong Kong) The winners of the highly anticipated plant exhibit competition, a key highlight of the Hong Kong Flower Show, were announced today. The awards ceremony celebrated the best exhibits in the Open

Hong Kong braces for squally thunderstorms, violent gusts on Saturday afternoon

Hong Kong braces for squally thunderstorms, violent gusts on Saturday afternoon

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. New users who download our updated app get a seven-day free trial. Hongkongers can expect squally thunderstorms and violent gusts on Saturday afternoon, the Observatory has said. “An area of intense thundery showers to

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x