Kirkuk faces rising suicide cases among children amid social media influence

Shafaq News/ Kirkuk is confronting a troubling surge in suicide cases among children, with many incidents linked to "suicide videos" viewed on mobile devices. The increase has sparked widespread fear and concern among residents.

Witness to the Tragedy

Mahmoud Al-Bayati, who recently lost his 8-year-old son to suicide, emphasized the critical need for parental vigilance and the dangers of unmonitored social media access. Meanwhile, local authorities and experts are calling for urgent measures to address this alarming trend.

Al-Bayati added, "My young son was only eight years old, and I don't even know how to describe what I saw. I entered his room and found him with a rope around his neck; he had committed suicide and passed away."

He continued, "The reason behind this is that my son had been watching videos on social media and was jokingly playing with his siblings, saying, 'Let's commit suicide.'

"The idea of suicide became ingrained in his mind, moving from the mobile phone to the child's small brain. In his room, I found his device with a video about suicide."

Al-Bayati noted that "the family is currently living in profound sadness due to the suicide of my young son. His voice and image are everywhere in the house." He called for parents to be "vigilant with their children, monitor their phones, and keep them away from social media sites that promote suicide."

Statistics

Damiaa Al-Jubouri, Director of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Kirkuk, told Shafaq News, "Suicide is a serious phenomenon that needs to be addressed from both social and religious perspectives. In the first half of this year, Kirkuk recorded three male and ten female suicides under the age of 18, including young children. This indicates a troubling trend among both children and adults."

She added, "For individuals over 18, there have been eight male and 39 female suicides, bringing the total number of suicides in Kirkuk during the first half of the year to 60."

Al-Jubouri noted that "the Human Rights Commission in Kirkuk is working with Sunni and Shia endowments and relevant agencies to raise awareness about the dangers of this foreign phenomenon and to reduce its prevalence through religious and community education."

Causes

Abdullah Abdel Karim, a specialist and psychological researcher, told Shafaq News, "There are social and economic factors driving the increase in suicide rates, as well as a lack of awareness and faith in God. The growing exposure to social media has also contributed to the rise in suicide rates among children, women, and men in Iraq."

He added, "Relevant authorities must take responsibility and implement necessary measures."

Abdel Karim noted that "the economic crisis in Iraq is a major factor in social violence, including suicide. The accumulation of crises has led to an increase in mental health issues, which in turn contribute to suicides."

" social problems, unemployment, and poor financial conditions have led to higher suicide rates among Iraqis. Not a day goes by without media reports of someone committing suicide in the governorates with Kirkuk leads. Experts warn of increasing suicide rates and call for identifying causes and finding preventive measures."

Iraqi Health Ministry Reports on Suicide Rates

The Iraqi Ministry of Health and Environment has released a report on the state of Suicide in Iraq, detailing the causes and confirming that the suicide rate in Iraq remains lower than the global average.

The Ministry stated that" suicide is a global phenomenon causing 800,000 deaths annually, at a rate of one person every 40 seconds. It is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide among individuals aged 10-29, according to the World Health Organization."

The report highlighted that" estimated suicide rates in the Middle East region are generally lower compared to other regions as reported by the World Health Organization. This may be due to the prevalence of religious beliefs and social and cultural traditions that influence suicidal behaviors."

The Iraqi Health Ministry confirmed that "in 2017, there were 178 recorded suicides; in 2018, 306 cases; in 2019, 316 cases; in 2020, 233 cases; in 2021, 364 cases; and in 2022, 511 cases."