As you are probably aware suicide is something that for familial reasons I take seriously. My mother killed herself as did one great aunt and two cousins of my parents. I don’t joke about the issue. Data today from the ONS on suicides is interesting in that it gives a new line on the “privilege” , the innate advantage that I might have as a middle class, okay upper middle class, white male. Or maybe in some respects I am not so privileged at all.
The ONS reports:
We identified 1,108 suicides in higher education students that occurred between August 2016 and July 2023, an average of around 160 per year. This is 6.9 deaths per 100,000 students, lower than the 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people in the general population of similar ages.
The suicide rate for men in higher education students was higher (10.4 per 100,000 students) compared with women (4.3 per 100,000 students). It was also higher in the “White” ethnic group (7.8 per 100,000 students) compared with the “Black” and “Asian” ethnic groups (4.6 and 5 per 100,000 students respectively). These patterns are also seen in the general population.
Ends.
So in suicide at least the middle classes, or at least those going to university rather than not, men and white folks are more likely to be affected. That is our privilege.
With suicide, I always feel, that the real victims are often not those dying but those left behind.
The ONS reports:
We identified 1,108 suicides in higher education students that occurred between August 2016 and July 2023, an average of around 160 per year. This is 6.9 deaths per 100,000 students, lower than the 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people in the general population of similar ages.
The suicide rate for men in higher education students was higher (10.4 per 100,000 students) compared with women (4.3 per 100,000 students). It was also higher in the “White” ethnic group (7.8 per 100,000 students) compared with the “Black” and “Asian” ethnic groups (4.6 and 5 per 100,000 students respectively). These patterns are also seen in the general population.
Ends.
So in suicide at least the middle classes, or at least those going to university rather than not, men and white folks are more likely to be affected. That is our privilege.
With suicide, I always feel, that the real victims are often not those dying but those left behind.
It is a serious subject but I doubt that those who pursue identity politics will today be clamouring for extra resources to tackle this issue for white middle class men.
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