By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

SUICIDES increased by 38 percent in 2020, according to data released by the Royal Bahamas Police Force yesterday.

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle attributed some of the suicides to “weak” men embroiled in domestic disputes who killed themselves because they were having problems with their partners.

While some may point to the hardship sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor, Commissioner Rolle said there was no evidence to suggest that 2020’s lockdowns were to blame.

There were 11 suicides in 2020, compared with eight recorded in 2019.

There were also 45 attempted suicides last year, a 20 percent reduction from the 56 attempted suicides in 2019, according to RBPF data.

“I have not done a scientific research, the police force has not done a scientific research on suicides,” the police chief said when asked if police believed the increased suicides were the result of lockdowns.

“We have heard reasons for suicides. The most I can say to you though in answering your question is if you look at the number of suicides for 2019, I believe that was eight or nine and last year 2020 it was 11. When you look at the attempted suicides for 2019 it was 54 or there about and in 2020 it was 40. So, there was actually a reduction.

“If you were to count the 11 and 40 that’s 51. That’s still less than what we had last year in the attempt in 2019. We did not have the pandemic in 2019 but the numbers were higher so without a scientific research on it I can almost tell you that I don’t know.”

He continued: “One or two of them might have been related to the stress that persons were feeling, but then you have to go look at why the persons committed suicide in 2019 and in 2018 I believe the numbers were higher.

“We are at a disadvantage though because the people are dead so they don’t tell us quite why they commit suicide and, in some cases, they may leave a note or family members will say.

“What I can tell you is that we had a few of those that we know were domestic related where the fellas are weak and they killed themselves because they were having issues with their females.

“I could leave that right there because to go further than that would require more research.”

Of the 11 suicides recorded last year, six of the victims were New Providence residents while five were from Grand Bahama.

More men killed themselves than women last year; 10 of the victims were male while one was female. In 2019, five men killed themselves while three women committed suicide, according to police.

When it comes to attempted suicides, however, women outweigh men. Police said 29 women tried to kill themselves in 2020 compared to 16 men. Most of the victims — 36 percent — in the attempted suicide category are between the ages of 18-30.

At the end of December, police said they were investigating a suspected suicide in New Providence. This incident occurred just days after a man was discovered hanged from a ceiling in Grand Bahama.

According to police, the New Providence man’s unresponsive body was found in a home on Victoria Avenue on December 28.

At the time, police said: “Preliminary reports stated that shortly before 11pm, police received reports of an unresponsive body of a male that was found with a cord around his neck. The officers on their arrival, were directed to a stairwell where they found the body of a male as reported.

Days earlier, a man in Grand Bahama was suspected of having committed suicide on Christmas Day.

Police said shortly after 1pm on Friday, December 25, officers were called to a residence on Raleigh Drive where the body of a 43-year-old man was found hanging from the ceiling. He was last seen on Thursday, December 24, shortly after 5am. Foul play was not suspected at that time.

In early December, the teenage son of Environment Minister Romauld Ferreira died of suspected suicide at his family’s home, according to police.

The month before, a woman died after attempting suicide at Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre on Sunday, November 8.

The Public Hospitals Authority confirmed the news in a press statement. Officials did not reveal the woman’s identity, but said she was 52 years old.

The patient, according to PHA, tried to kill herself at the rehabilitation centre and was subsequently taken to Princess Margaret Hospital.

However, officials said she was pronounced dead at the hospital upon arrival.

On September 19, 2020, a Grand Bahama woman was saved from taking her own life after she was found in the sea.

That incident came less than a week after police said a 29-year-old Grand Bahama man was in hospital following a suspected attempted suicide incident at Eight Mile Rock.

And nearly two weeks earlier, police in Nassau said a concerned citizen rescued a man from his car after he drove off Montagu ramp into the waters below in an attempted suicide.

If you are in distress, you can contact the Red Cross’ hotline at 828-4121.