Samaritans work with the PCC

Samaritans’ work with the Press Complaints Commission

Samaritans made a submission to the PCC in January 2006 to ask for a new sub-clause to be introduced into the Editor’s Code that would specifically address factual reporting and representation of suicide, following distressing media coverage which Samaritans felt could encourage copycat suicides. The PCC added a new sub-clause to its Clause 5: Intrusion into Grief and Shock provisions, which now reads:

5i: In cases involving grief or shock, enquiries must be carried out and approaches made with sympathy and discretion. Publication must be handled sensitively at such times, but this should not be interpreted as restricting the right to reporting judicial proceedings.

5ii: When reporting suicide, care should be taken to avoid excessive detail about the method used.

^{(The Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice,Clause Five)}

The PCC upheld a complaint against a regional evening newspaper in October 2007 after it published an article describing in detail the method a depressed teacher used to electrocute himself. For more information about the Press Complaints Commission’s code of practice log on to www.pcc.org.uk