Mapping Institutional Interventions to Mitigate Suicides: A Study of Causes and Prevention

Abstract

Suicide is an extreme, tragic act and an important subject for social inquiry. It is the rising public health issue prevalent in the Himalayan range of Pakistan. The young and educated population is more prone to suicide instead of using this prime phase of age productively. Unfortunately, the suicide problem remains unaddressed, the causes remain undefined, solutions are not in the works, and in situations when others play a part in driving someone to commit suicide, no one is being held accountable. This study is aimed at uncovering the root causes of suicide and proposing some preventive measures to mitigate the problem. Our team studied three years’ worth of data (2017–2019) on suicides from the office of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Chitral. In addition, we conducted semi-structured interviews of different stakeholders, including family members, neighbors, lawyers, and police personnel. The findings revealed that extended family pressures, the power dynamic between sustainers and dependents, family conflicts, and inheritance cases were the major causes of the domestic violence that preceded suicide attempts. Mental health issues, forced marriages, academic competitions, and flawed litigation processes were also among the leading causes of suicide. Awareness through education and religious sermons, strengthening healthcare organizations, restructuring family systems, establishing police complaint centers, effective prosecution processes, and imparting lifesaving skills have been identified as measures to prevent suicide. This study has theoretical and practical implications, as it adds certain novel variables regarding the causes and solutions of suicide to the existing body of literature and guides public authorities to strengthen institutions to intervene effectively.