HELP lines reaching men

While men account for 75% of suicide deaths in Australia, they are underrepresented in calls to helplines.

Lifeline Australia’s Research and Engagement Manager Dr. Tara Hunt says that “To make significant inroads in preventing suicide in Australia, steps must be taken to reduce the incidence of suicide among men. We know from accounts of men who have experienced suicidality that they can experience both unique facilitators and barriers when engaging with services.”

According to Dr. Hunt, there are a wide range of social, economic and psychological factors that can influence men’s decision to seek help, including societal pressures that can encourage men to be brave and self-reliant and can contribute to some men feeling hesitant to seek help when they are struggling. When they do reach out, there is often a mismatch between what they want and what services provide.

It is vital that research addresses this disconnect by finding out what men want from crisis services. These insights will directly inform a training module developed for crisis supporters at Lifeline Australia, to further equip them to meet the needs of male callers and continuing to enhance crisis support for Australian men in the future.

To find out more, or to contribute as a research participant, contact katherine.trail@unimelb.edu.au or call Katherine on 0409 752 994.

Lifeline is Australia’s leading suicide prevention service, with 41 centres around the nation. You can phone Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14 (24 hours/7 days), text 0477 131 114 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or chat to Lifeline online at www.lifeline.org.au (7pm – midnight, 7 nights).