Heartbreaking increase in youth suicide across Victoria: See the post pandemic shock figures

A peak body has called for funding and action to address soaring youth suicides in Victoria. Here’s what urgently needs to change to save young lives.

Youth suicides have soared across the state, with nearly 50 deaths of Victorians under the age of 24 this year so far.

Tragically 19 of the suicides between January 1 and the end of June were children under the age of 18, with 11 of those boys and eight girls.

Another 21 young males and eight females aged 18 to 24 took their own lives in the same period.

The horror youth suicide figures compare with just two suicides of Victorian children (under 18) between January and June last year, 13 in 2021, 11 in 2020 and five in 2019, before the Covid pandemic hit.

The latest Coroners Court statistics show a total of 362 Victorians took their own lives in the first half of this year, the highest number for the last five years.

More than two-and-a-half times the number of males than females have died, with 65 per cent of deaths occurring in metropolitan Melbourne.

65 per cent of suicides have occurred in metropolitan Melbourne. Picture: David Crosling

The largest percentage of deaths was in the 35 to 44 year-old age group, with 77 people taking their own lives.

Another 70 Victorians aged 25 to 34 — with 50 male and 20 female — also died by suicide.

The country’s peak suicide prevention body has called for urgent government funding to create

alternative mental health treatment options for young people in crisis, in the wake of the shock figures.

“Tragically, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged between 15-24 …

we heard loud and clear from young people that we need to address the negative experiences of attending emergency departments after attempting suicide or self-harm,” Suicide Prevention Australia (SPA) chief Nieves Murray said.

“Emergency departments are not set up to address the mental health and wellbeing needs of young people in distress. Yet we have over 10,000 young people each year attending emergency departments after self-harming and many have negative experiences, making them less likely to seek support in future.

“Young people have said they need alternatives to emergency departments. Whether it’s a 24/7 safe space with youth peer workers and medical and mental health support staff, or a crisis support team that comes to the young person’s home, it is clear we need models that are youth-specific and unique to their risk factors.

“We are calling on all state and territory governments to allocate funding to design and trial a number of youth-specific alternatives to emergency departments that will be co designed with young people.”

“There’s a real opportunity for national leadership from the Commonwealth Government. The new National Agreement on Mental Health and Suicide Prevention can help deliver better supports for young people right across the country.”

Funding also needed to be allocated to improve the experience of young people presenting to emergency departments after having made a suicide attempt or self-harmed, she said.

“We need an immediate investment in helping our frontline suicide prevention services carry the load right now.

“We can never underestimate the impact that every life lost to suicide has on family, friends, workplaces and the broader community.”