Abuse in own homes drive men over 65 to commit suicide

Nadira Gunatilleke

The main reason for many Sri Lankan men over 65 to commit suicide is the abuses they undergo an their own homes, Deputy Director General, Health Services, Dr. Terrence de Silva said.

Dr. de Silva also said blood relations or parents are responsible for 70 per cent murders of children.

“Strangers or outsiders rarely murder children,” he said at the launch of the National Report on Violence and Health in Sri Lanka in Colombo on Friday. According to the report, homicides and suicides of elderly are on the increase in Sri Lanka and the underlying cause of some of the suicides has been the result of abuse at homes.

The mortality rate of men aged 65 and over in Sri Lanka due to intentional self-harm was 92.6 per 100,000 population in 1997, the highest rate in comparison to younger ages. The corresponding rate of 20 per cent for females was also relatively high compared to other ages.

The report stated that more than half of the children murdered below the age of six and 70 per cent of perpetrators of child homicides are blood and other relations.