Before Colonisation and the Stolen Generation, suicide in Aboriginal communities was unheard of.

Suicide Statistics

Since the traumatic impact of Colonial Systems abruptly ending the traditional Aboriginal way of life, the ongoing ripple effect of mass dispossession and cultural despair has seen the suicide rate – and the incidents of intentional self-harm – rise dramatically amongst Indigenous people.

In Australia, First Nations suicide statistics are on average 2.4 times higher than non-Indigenous people

From 2016 to 2020 in the Northern Territory, the rate of suicide amongst Indigenous people was 29 per 100,000 population (= 123 Deaths)

In 2018, intentional self-harm was the second leading cause of death amongst Aboriginal males

From 2014 to 2018, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children accounted for a quarter of all child suicide deaths (85 of 357 deaths, 23.8%).

Crisis helplines

Lifeline – 13 11 14

Suicide Call Back Service – 1300 659 467

Kids Helpline (for young people aged 5 to 25 years): 1800 55 1800

Karyn Moyle – 0455 776 612

13 YARN – 139276

Thirrili post suicide support – 1800 805 801

Brother to Brother – 1800 435 799

What can we do?

Prevention

Prevention is to provide Indigenous people with culturally safe education and support programs, promoting understanding, knowledge, and highlighting services available to support each other when needed.

Intervention

Intervention is to provide tools to address thoughts of suicide, and the ability to have a safety plan in place when suicidal ideation arises. For example, who’s the emergency contact, techniques to remain calm until help arrives, and removal of objects that may be used in a suicide.

Postvention

Postvention ensures that assistance is available to families, friends, and others impacted by suicide in a culturally safe and respectful manner, ensuring the ripple effect from suicide does not continue throughout the community. It’s vital to encourage community-wide ongoing grief counselling and support.

Why Perfectly Imperfect?

Education

Our suite of training packages is delivered in a Culturally safe environment, by Aboriginal people, for Aboriginal people. Karyn’s interactive approach ensures full participation and engagement from all participants.

Support

Karyn’s local knowledge of the issues and her extensive experience – both lived and learned – makes her well placed to deliver awareness programs. She has dedicated her life to educating and informing Aboriginal people by sharing her own experiences with the issues of suicide, mental health, and trauma.

Guidance

Karyn is passionate about delivering Mental health and suicide awareness programs to Indigenous people throughout the Northern Territory. She has successfully delivered Post Prevention and Post Suicide programs in Darwins Adult Prisons, in both the women’s and men’s facilities, as well as Youth Detention.

Flexibility

Perfectly Imperfect can tailor all of our workshops and training programs to ensure they reflect your organisations exact needs. Even more, our flexible delivery process means we can accommodate budgets big and small, including online webinars, or on country visits.