September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day.
An interesting, as well as shocking survey was published regarding the issue of suicide in Greece.
According to the data, more than 600 people take their own lives each year in Greece, leaving around 3000 people, relatives, and friends in grief.
The country doesn’t keep records of attempts of suicide, but experts believe that nearly 15,000 people attempt to put an end to their lives every single year.
The shocking numbers have prompted experts to urge the authorities to take all necessary steps to curb the issue, as around 95% of the cases could have been prevented.
The last year for which we have official data is 2015, when 529 people took their own lives compared to 565 the previous year.
Data also reveal that suicide has gender in Greece: For every woman who puts an end to her life, four men commit suicide.
Crete was the most hit region of Greece in 2015 while Epirus and Eastern Macedonia and Thrace came second.
The majority of the incidents happen indoors, with only 15% of the cases being reported in public spaces.
Nearly half of the incidents involve people affected by the financial crisis, such as pensioners, students or those who are unemployed.
A number of suicides are committed in the Armed Forces as well as the Police, Coast Guard, and in Hospitals.
Experts say that these cases can be prevented, which is why they urge for the implementation of a Cohesive National Strategy for the Prevention of Suicide in Greece.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
