Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Warning: This contains references to suicide.
Psychologists in Europe say increased suicide prevention methods may have played a role in the declining rate of suicide related deaths among European nations within the last decade.
This national statistic review by the European Psychiatric Association looked at suicide rates in 38 European countries and concluded that suicide death rates dropped 20 per cent within the last decade. In 2011, 20 deaths linked to suicide were reported for every 100,000 people in Europe, however this number dropped to 16 per 100,000 by 2019.
While 22 countries showed unchanged rates, 15 countries have shown significant change particularly Lithuania which has had a significantly high rate since the late 1990s. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Lithuania reported a rate of 31.8 suicides per 100,000 people in 2011 but in 2019 that decreased to 20.2.
Of course, since 2020, major global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine have likely contributed to changes to these rates, nonetheless the researchers say the results are encouraging.
"Psychiatric disorders are related to an overwhelming proportion of these cases," researcher Anna Gimienez said in a news release. "In the last years, several specific interventions and action plans for suicide prevention have been implemented in a number of European countries, and we believe that these might have had an impact on suicide trends."
Some of the initiatives involve WHO's prevention control plan to introduce early identification, assessment and management to people with suicidal behaviours, as well as reducing access to means of suicide like firearms or specific medications. However, not all methods are one-size, WHO states, saying effective measures need to intersect with all aspects of society including education, labour, and politics to help the various and different people suicide can affect.
"This European study is very interesting, showing that there are large heterogeneities between countries, and that for a relatively important number of countries, it is indeed possible to reduce the number of deaths by suicide per year," said former president of the European Psychiatric Association, Philip Gorwood in a news release.
According to Eurostat, 1.1 per cent of deaths reported in the EU are linked to suicide, 77 per cent of which involve men and 31 per cent of suicides are reported in people between the ages of 45 and 60.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, here are some resources that are available.
Canada Suicide Prevention Helpline (1-833-456-4566)
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (1 800 463-2338)
Crisis Services Canada (1-833-456-4566 or text 45645)
Kids Help Phone (1-800-668-6868)
If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.