Issue of Suicide Taints Kaohsiung Election 柯志恩陣營指高雄自殺率高 醫憂模仿效應

KMT Kaohsiung City mayoral candidate Ko Chih-en's team highlighted Kaohsiung's high suicide rate and questioned the city government's inaction. This topic has civic groups worried about a copycat effect, and they signed a petition urging candidates not to make suicide an election topic.

The issue of suicide has become a topic in Kaohsiung City's mayoral election. KMT candidate Ko Chih-en's team previously said during an evening campaign rally that the current administration is not doing enough to prevent suicide. This topic caught the attention of the public, and some people even started discussing suicide methods and locations. Suicide prevention groups are worried.

Lin Keng-hsin, Psychiatrist: “It will lead to the so-called copycat effect. In other words, every time someone hypes this issue, the suicide rate will increase.”

Around 130 members of the Taiwanese Society of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses Association, and suicide prevention groups signed a petition urging candidates not to make suicide an election topic. When asked about this, Ko said she has never said the words "dead body" or "suicide," and "suicide rate" was only mentioned as part of a quote. She hasn't ruled out filing lawsuits against false statements.

Ko Chih-en, KMT Kaohsiung City Mayoral Candidate: “I never said what they discussed online. My team's spokesperson never said that either. Please don't put words in my mouth.”

Chen Chi-mai, Mayor, Kaohsiung City: “We need to really respect the professional handling of this and stop hyping it.”

Suicide prevention groups worry that the hyping of this topic will worsen the pain of people affected by suicide and lead to copycats. The city government said colleagues engaged in suicide prevention work very hard and agree that this topic shouldn't be discussed in public.

輕生議題近來不斷出現在高雄選舉話題中，國民黨高雄市長參選人柯志恩陣營也曾在造勢晚會中提及，質疑市府沒有有效作為。但這議題頻頻出現，甚至有人談論自殺方式、特定地點，也讓防治團體相當憂心。

精神科醫師林耕新指出：「會引起所謂的複製貓效應，就是說每當有人在特別在炒這個話題的時候，自殺率就會提高。」

台灣精神醫學會、精神護理學會等自殺防治單位，共130名醫、護、社工師共同連署，要求別再以輕生議題當選舉操作。面對質疑，柯志恩否認說過浮屍、輕生等字眼，強調提輕生率是引述其他資訊，不排除對於不實言論提告。

國民黨高雄市長參選人柯志恩回應：「網路上面討論，不是我柯志恩講的、不是我陣營的發言人講的，請不要塞在我的嘴巴裡。」

高雄市長陳其邁表示：「這個要必須非常的尊重這個專業的一些處理，也更不要去炒作。」

防治單位憂心炒作這話題會惡化遺族傷痛，更引發模仿效應。市府也回應從事自殺防治的同仁都很辛苦，認同不應在公開場合一再提起。