ERIC Number: EJ848252
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2009-Apr
Pages: 4
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0363-0234
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Legal Bans on Pro-Suicide Web Sites: An Early Retrospective from Australia
Pirkis, Jane; Neal, Luke; Dare, Andrew; Blood, R. Warwick; Studdert, David
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, v39 n2 p190-193 Apr 2009
There are worldwide concerns that pro-suicide web sites may trigger suicidal behaviors among vulnerable individuals. In 2006, Australia became the first country to criminalize such sites, sparking heated debate. Concerns were expressed that the law casts the criminal net too widely; inappropriately interferes with the autonomy of those who wish to die; and has jurisdictional limitations, with off-shore web sites remaining largely immune. Conversely, proponents point out that the law may limit access to domestic pro-suicide web sites, raise awareness of Internet-related suicide, mobilize community efforts to combat it, and serve as a powerful expression of societal norms about the promotion of suicidal behavior.
Descriptors: Web Sites, Suicide, Foreign Countries, Laws, Consciousness Raising, Internet, Social Behavior, Prevention
Guilford Press. 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012. Tel: 800-365-7006; Tel: 212-431-9800; Fax: 212-966-6708; e-mail: info@guilford.com; Web site: http://www.guilford.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A