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"Suicide Tourism" in New York
Just the title gives me the chills. I believe most people travel to enrich their lives, to explore the world, to grow as people, to relax, to have fun. The word "suicide" in relation to travel or tourism is just wrong.A recent study by the New York Academy of Medicine reveals that more than 10% of all Manhattan suicides are tourists traveling to the Big Apple to take their lives. Jumping from landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Times Square and the George Washington Bridge, is one of the main ways of doing so.
The New York Times reports that from 1990-2004, of the 7,634 suicides in the city, 407 were tourists (i.e. non-residents of NYC). Although jumping from famous sites is generally more popular in New York, the Golden Gate Bridge in California and the Eiffel Tower in Paris are also notorious for their suicide rates.
Euthanasia is a never-ending debate that I don't want to get into, but this whole death tourism subject was last thrown around in 2003 when a few Swiss organizations created a stir as they attracted an increasing number of foreigners to Switzerland to assist their death. "We help others to die with a dignity they cannot find in their own countries," is what one of the organizations claimed they were doing. Euthanasia is also legal in Holland and Belgium.
As for those who kill themselves without assistance by jumping from a famous site: it is not clear if these people travel specifically to take their lives, but the research says that the people who do land up doing that, do so because it "guarantees them a notoriety they may not have had otherwise."
The complete study conducted by the New York Academy of medicine will be released on Monday.
(Via New York Times)
Filed under: Stories, Belgium, Netherlands, United States
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Noosa Nov 2nd 2007 10:04AM
So sad, suicide is a bad thing. People who want to take their own lives should get help. Nothing is worth killing yourself over.
billy Nov 2nd 2007 11:23AM
I would never commit suiaside unless some gay would
grab me Thats the poorist life there is there starting yo put that crap on tv I would rather be a loner than loose my faith in the church
greg Nov 2nd 2007 12:09PM
Suicide can be a seen as a romantic way out for some people, so I can see why they would give themselves one last treat by travelling to some dramatic destination for the narcissistic finale.
The Swiss have a more progressive view of things and are probably offering Euthanasia in cases of terminal illness, an area where the US is far from compassionate in such matters.
Billy,
Why are you so afraid of the gays? Someone's sexuality has nothing to do with their faith or the quality of other peoples lives. The despair of living a life where uninformed people have the upper hand would be enough to drive some people to suicide.
jack Nov 2nd 2007 1:24PM
Wow, this is a hell of a piece to see in my RSS feed!
I'm surprised to see that there are so many suicide wannabes that go to the Big Apple just to top themselves.
What's that number as a percentage of NY tourists?
Matthew Nov 2nd 2007 5:18PM
Biily-
If anyone should commit suicide, it is you. The world needs less ignorant freaks.