Child’s body found hanging in bathroom
Children often ‘bottle up and explode’ under immense pressure at home and at school.
THE body of an 11-year-old girl was found hanging in the bathroom of her home in KwaMsane yesterday.
According to the KwaMsane police, she was seen walking with a rope after school, saying she was planning to make a swing.
Not long after she was found dead in the bathroom.
Youth suicides
According to Clinical Psychologist and author on Suicidal Behaviour in South Africa, Lourens Schlebusch, about 9.5% of non-natural deaths among young people are attributed to suicides and between 4% and 47% of schoolchildren surveyed expressed suicidal tendencies.
‘In South Africa suicidal behaviour among the youth has become exponential and constitutes a major public health problem,’ said Schlebusch in a report on suicide trends.
Richards Bay Family Care’s Head of Office, Lebo Maribe, believes children often ‘bottle up and explode’ under immense pressure at home and at school.
‘I’ve observed that there tends to be a gap in communication between adults and youngsters, leaving many scholars facing their issues alone,’ said Maribe.
‘We as parents must always talk openly with our kids so that they feel comfortable voicing their troubles.
‘I’d also like to encourage children and teenagers feeling depressed to contact Richards Bay Family Care or LifeLine.
‘It may also help to talk to a teacher, but always turn to an adult rather than another child,’ Maribe said.
