Speaking in Parliament last week, Minister Chris Philp announced the Government will create a new offence based on the Law Commission’s recommendation to make it illegal to encourage someone else to self-harm.
Responding to the announcement, Mubeen Bhutta, Head of Policy, Public Affairs & Campaigns at Samaritans, said:
“The Government’s commitment to take the action Samaritans have called for and help protect people from others maliciously encouraging or assisting them to self-harm is an important step in the right direction. But they still haven’t confirmed how and when this will happen. It’s vital that these changes are implemented in time to be part of the new online safety laws. Every day that goes by is another day people remain at risk.
“We will continue to campaign to make sure this new law is created as soon as possible, and that it focuses on those people who are maliciously and intentionally encouraging people to harm themselves, not anyone who’s at-risk themselves, or trying to help other people.”
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