To the editor:

A video of a person at risk of completing suicide and their rescue was posted on Feb. 16 by the Lawrence Police Department on Facebook and Twitter. Later, Channel 6 News picked up this story. The public sharing of this video is troubling for me not only from the view of a bystander but also as a member of a helping profession.

I appreciate and value the efforts of the police and concerned citizens in this situation; it truly was a lifesaving effort. However, using this story as public education emphasizes the accomplishments of our city police while turning this survivor into a victim. One of the most vulnerable moments of this individual’s life is posted online for the world to see indefinitely.

I am not writing this letter to end the conversation about suicide and its impact on our community; I write instead to share my concerns about the method used by our community. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) cautions media reports on suicide, especially when using explicit details such as this video footage. Suicide contagion is

provoked by media attention, especially for vulnerable people in our community. Shouldn’t we share factual information about suicide prevention instead of sensationalizing a single suicide attempt with a video that will never disappear? The lives of people in our community are at stake. I urge community members interested in suicide prevention

to share information to increase education, without compromising the very real and personal lives of these individuals.