In the United States, one person commits suicide every 16 minutes, according to the official Web site for the organization American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). It is a staggering statistic that has captured the attention of the nation for years and very recently, has tremendously affected communities here in New York due to the tragic young deaths of Alexis Pilkington of West Islip and Cornell University students, Bradley Ginsburg, William Sinclair, and Matthew Zika.
On March 21, Pilkington, who helped her West Islip Senior High School soccer team win a Class AA championship last year, committed suicide at the age of 17. Although what drove her to kill herself is still uncertain, many reports speculate that Alexis was the victim of cyber bullying on social networking sites such as Facebook and Formspring.
“It is becoming a serious issue,” says Alice Heron-Burke, counselor and director of the Counseling and Wellness Center at NYIT since 1997. “Many people that are cyber bullying are abusing the anonymity of the internet.” According to Ms. Burke, individuals who commit suicide have very little self esteem and are very vulnerable to cyber bullying. These victims express their anger inward and then make numerous attempts at suicide because they feel completely powerless.
These past two months have been a difficult time for the prestigious Cornell University, as it has had to endure and witness three suicide cases, from three of its beloved students, which brings the total to six suicide deaths in the last six months. On February 17, the body of Bradley Ginsburg, Cornell freshman and Economics major, was found at the bottom of the University’s well-known gorges. Police believe that he plunged to his death after he was reported missing for the previous 24 hours. Nearly a month later, on March 11, the body of William Sinclair, a sophomore Engineering major, was found under similar circumstances. Tragically, the next day, another student ended his life early, as he was seen leaping from a bridge into the gorge. His name was Matthew Zika, and he was also an Engineer major, but unfortunately, his body has yet to be discovered.
It is no surprise that academic pressure and stress are contributing to the deaths of many high school and college students across the nation. In fact, according to the organization known as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15-24 years old. Paula Clayton, who is the medical director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, describes that the national average for school suicides is 7.29 per year for every 100,000 students. Therefore, Cornell University, which has a total of 19,639 students, should average fewer than two suicides a year. “There will be plenty of time to worry about our reputation later,” says President of Cornell University, David Skorton, who believes that it is important to promote outreach and help to all of his students, rather than defend an image, according to an exclusive CNN report. “What I’m worried about right now is the next student in distress.” Other universities that have been labeled “suicide schools” are Columbia University, New York University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
“Fortunately, there has been no history of suicides here at NYIT,” says Alice-Heron Burke, who believes that the help offered at the Counseling and Wellness Center has been very effective. “We offer counseling that is both free and confidential for our students”. At the Counseling and Wellness Center, located at Harry Schure Hall, room 207, help is offered for students who are experiencing personal, social and even academic concerns. Suicide is not the only issue that is facing college students today. Many other problems that affect a student’s college experience include alcohol abuse, anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, relationships, stress and much more. Mrs. Burke believes that it is crucial to tend to these problems immediately before they manifest into a larger and life threatening condition.
Statistically speaking, suicides are contributed to by depression, alcohol, firearms, and medical illness. In reference to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, 60 percent of people that die by suicide have suffered from depression and the number rises to 75 percent if they are alcoholics. Since firearms have become the fastest growing method behind suicides, 50 percent of all suicide cases will be caused by the use of firearms. “Unless our students want to, we do not inform the parents of a student who is seeking counseling,” says Mrs. Burke, as she describes the confidentiality agreement between a student and herself. “But I still believe that it is a good idea that parents become more involved and active in their child’s life.” If parents are concerned for their child, they have every right to call the counseling office and find help for their child. Although many students prefer and value their privacy, their overall protection and safety is in the best interest of the parent.
In addition to the amount of resources that are used, the Counseling and Wellness Center has planned upcoming events that will create awareness about teenage suicide. On April 20, the American Society for the Prevention of Suicide will be presenting a program on suicide among college students in Anna Rubin Hall, room 307 during free hour. The event is sponsored by the Counseling and Wellness Center, and is designed to increase prevention, raise awareness, and teach students how to talk to friends who say they are suicidal. The Counseling Center will also be conducting depression screenings, which is a short assessment to help students determine whether or not they are depressed.
One thing is for certain, teenage suicides are becoming more heavily covered, especially with the growing trend of social networking sites that keep us exposed to cyber bullies. Despite the amount of teenage suicide cases seen and heard on the television or on the Web, hope is not all lost. Progress is being made with the help of a growing number of organizations and individuals focused on making a difference for future victims. In addition to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, other organizations are on a mission to spread the word on the dangers of cyber bullying and to increase suicide prevention. For example, Ms. Anne Collier is the co-director of the Salt Lake City based Web site known as Connectsafely.org. It is a Web site designed to inform online viewers on safety issues found in several popular social networking Web sites. “Trolling is part of the dark side of cyberspace,” says Ms. Collier, according to an article released by wptv.com. “It’s quite anonymous and random and is usually seen as aggressive, egregious cruelty on the Internet. The people who sit behind computers and do this are known as trolls.” Ms. Anne Collier is referring to a group of individuals that post mean and obscene messages on the profiles of other online users. For the family and friends of Alexis Pilkington, it was painful enough to witness the death of a loved one, but to see the nasty and insensitive messages that continue to appear online, even after her death, is as excruciating as throwing salt in an open wound.
But nonetheless, the growing trend of trolls and cyber bullying has sparked and motivated the formation of a bill targeted against cyber bullying. Such a move was also made back on May 22, 2008 when the “Megan Meier Cyber Bullying Prevention Act” was introduced by Congresswoman Linda T. Sanchez. This bill was inspired by 13 year old Megan Tyler Meier who committed suicide after being manipulated and harassed on her MySpace account. “Bullying has gone electronic,” says Congresswoman Sanchez, according to a press release on wired.com, as she testifies before a Subcommittee on crime, terrorism, and homeland security. “This literally means kids can be bullies at any hour of the day or the night, or even in the victim’s own home.” Although many believe that this bill rightfully prosecutes cyber bullies, while honoring the memory of Megan Meier, civil rights groups and activists believe that such a bill wrongfully violates the First Amendment right of speech. To them, cyber bullying is a problem that should be handled locally and should not create a burden for the federal government.
Although there is no current federal law against cyber bullying, progress is still being made. Now, there are over fifteen states that have agreed to sign cyber bullying bills into law, including Maryland, Arkansas, Florida, and Kentucky, and Massachusetts is considering the option.
“Education is good too,” says Alice-Heron Burke, who proposes that being informed can also be the key to saving lives, even if a law that criminalizes cyber bullies does not exist in New York. “We have to do a tremendous amount of outreach that will affect the entire community and create awareness.” The road to progression and change may be slow and long, but like the many roads one embarks on in life, ultimately, a destination and goal will be reached.
If you would like to seek further information or personal help regarding suicide prevention, please call the following hotlines:
* New York City: Crisis Information and Referral Network Phone: 800.LIFENET (800.543.3638)
* Nassau County: Middle Earth Hotline: 516.679.1111
* Suffolk County Responses: 631.751.7500
* National Hotline: 800.784.2433
* If you are unable to reach any of the above and are in distress, call 911
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