A campaign entitled “Words can heal” will be carried out in Moldova within three months in a move to combat the discrimination of persons who attempted suicide, especially children, and the families that lost members as a result of suicide. The campaign was launched by the public association “Altruism” on June 10 and will be closed on September 10, when it is marked the World Suicide Prevention Day.
In a news conference at IPN, “Altruism” head Liuba Ceban said that the campaign includes the launch of the first journalists’ guide about suicide entitled “Coverage of the subject of suicide by the media” and a contest of features that will end with the awarding of the prize for emotional intelligence in features. There will be presented the film “Saving life together” and launched the Club of Journalists for Life that will be convened monthly. “We will discuss with the journalists how they should talk to a person about suicide, emotional intelligence in the news and the transmission of a positive message. All the persons who need individual consultancy can come to the association’s head office,” said Liuba Ceban.
On the World Suicide Prevention Day, there will be analyzed the first results of the campaign and will be staged different events all over the country, where the subject of suicide will be treated in a positive way. The campaign’s message – “Words can heal” – will be also promoted on blogs. “We initiated this campaign in order to show the people facing difficulties that they are not alone and nothing is wrong with them. They just encounter more problems and need assistance to overcome them,” said the head of “Altruism”.
Liana Rascu, author of the guide “Coverage of the subject of suicide by the media”, said the book teaches how the media outlets should address this subject and includes general suggestions how to present matters concerning persons who attempted suicide. “When a journalist provides details about a case of suicide and the suicide methods used, the sensitive persons can identify themselves with the victims and, consequently, can resort to the same solution. It is important that the journalists’ message about suicide contain pieces of advice and methods by which the sensitive persons can overcome the difficulties,” she stated.
Liana Rascu added that the journalists must sensitize the general public. The goal of the guide is to offer the journalists information about how to treat the subject of suicide without stimulating sensitive persons to resort to such a desperate gesture and making them feel alone and weak.
