Dubai: More than a hundred people commit suicide each year with the number of attempts increasing, a police study revealed.
While last year's statistics showed a decrease in the number of suicides as compared to 2008, there was an increase in people staging an attempt, Lieutenant Colonel Jamal Al Jallaf, Director of the Crime Monitoring Department of Dubai Police told Gulf News.
While 148 people committed suicide in 2008, as compared to 113 last year, 65 attempted suicide in 2008.
This increased to 89 last year. Some of the reasons for suicides and attempts in the past two years were due to financial burdens, the study showed.
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One case involved an Asian worker who despite repeated attempts failed to get his passport from his employer, to travel on holiday. The worker felt humiliated and threw himself in front of a truck. The truck driver was able to avoid hitting the man who survived the attempt and was helped by Dubai Police.
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Police said victims are mostly labourers who hang themselves to avoid financial issues. Housemaids, middle-class married workers and drug addicts formed the majority of victims.
Lt Col Al Jallaf added that financial problems were the major reason for most labourers to commit suicide — many paid hefty sums of money and incurred debts to work abroad. "A feeling of humiliation and exhaustion also drives labourers to commit suicide," he said.
Most often they hang themselves using a rope, wire, or a piece of cloth, attached to a ceiling fan or staircase.
While most labourers commit suicide onsite or at the labour accommodation, there have been cases of people hanging themselves from a tree, in the middle of a desert, too.
Last year, a mechanic, faced with family issues, hung himself using his wezar [long under clothing]. Marital problems also drive many to commit suicide.
Weak and vulnerable
A man, with severe diabetes, killed himself because he was feeling weak and vulnerable and could not cope. He wrote a letter before committing suicide thanking his family, friends and co-workers and seeking their forgiveness.
Many women committed suicide after their families refused to allow them to marry the man of their choice. In certain cases, some parents managed to save their daughters after a suicide attempt, Lt Col Al Jallaf said.
Most often, women committed suicide by taking pills, drinking detergent, pesticides or poison.
Lt Col Al Jallaf cited the example of a 20-year-old girl who attempted suicide after her parents refused to accept a marriage proposal. She drank a poisonous substance but was saved by her parents.
Drug addiction
In other cases, an illness or severe disability of a child could lead one of the parents to commit suicide, due to the burden or pressures faced by them.
Drug addiction leads people to end their suffering through suicide, too.
Lt Col Al Jallaf cited the example of a young Arab drug-addict who inflicted many cuts on her wrists. She was rescued after each suicide attempt. "Cutting wrists or arteries using sharp objects is a common method [used by drug addicts] to commit suicide," he said.
All police stations are equipped with social and psychiatric assistance units that provide round-the-clock support to victims or people who have reached absolute despair.
The victim support programme was initiated in 2004 on instructions from Lieutenant-General Dahi Khalfan Tamim, Chief of Dubai Police. People who attempt suicide face a prison sentence that will not exceed six months or a fine that does not exceed Dh5,000.
Reasons behind suicide cases
Most suicide cases are committed by the Asian community and involve hanging themselves. The reasons behind committing suicides:
- Financial reasons is mainly common among labourers who commit suicide due to financial burdens back in their home countries. Many pay hefty sums of money and get into debts to get an opportunity to work abroad.
- Feelings of humiliation and exhaustion in the workforce is another factor
- Marriage problems: problems among married couples and families could rest in a member committing suicide.
- Familial disputes: it is most commonly practiced by females whose parents refuse to allow them to marry the man of their choice.
- Familial problems like an illness of a member or the disability of a child, which creates a pressure on the mother. Few cases saw the suicide of the mother.
- Drug addiction is yet another reason that could lead people to end their suffering through suicide
Most common people to commit suicide:
1) labourers
2) housemaids or domestic workers
3) married employees
4) drug addicts
Statistics
2009
Total number of suicides: 113
According to Forensic Medicine Department
Attempted suicide cases: 89
According to criminal investigation department
2008
Total number of suicides: 148
According to Forensic Medicine Department
Attempted suicide cases: 65
According to Criminal investigation department:
