Thread by @tylerblack32

1/ Today is #WorldSuicidePreventionDay, & soon #TruthAndReconciliation day, so lets talk about Indigenous Suicide.

Most organizations will talk about the frequency of white suicide, but, male or female, youth Indigenous suicides are as/more common and poorly discussed.

2/ In the US, Indigenous suicide in BOYS & YOUNG MEN is as common as the well-discussed "middle age white men" group, and late in life we see the escalation of white suicide.

In women, INDENGENOUS GIRLS and YOUNG WOMEN have as high a suicide rate as the middle age white peak.

3/ In Canada, Indigenous suicide is THREEFOLD more common than non-Indigenous suicide. And for Inuit, NINEFOLD. For Inuit men in Inuit Nunangat, the risk is THIRTYFOLD higher in the young adult age group.

4/ In Australia, the picture is the same. In New Zealand, the Māori have the highest suicide rate out of all ethnic groups. In Brazil the Amazonas have a 4-fold increase.

5/ However it is not UNIVERSAL. "Indigenous" describes a large diversity of people. Summary statistics fail to capture diversity within. Some Indigenous nations/people have lower suicide rates. Typically this is tied to Indigenous wealth, land, agency, and access to health care.

6/ Some jurisdictions never even consider Indigenous issues. To my knowledge, there has never been a study out of Japan looking at suicide rates amongst the Ainu Indigenous people, who are tremendously marginalized in Japan.

minorityrights.org/minorities/ain…

7/ MYTH: "Indigenous people are at higher risk of suicide"

REALITY: "They are OVERREPRESENTED."

Indigenous people have/have had:
* systemic discrimination and trauma by intentional design
* stigma
* land stolen
* wealth stolen
* exploitation
* agency, power, & provenance taken

8/ There is *nothing* inherent to Indigenous life, health, or being that increase suicide risk. We know that even simple "adjustments" for socioeconomic status severely decrease the gap between suicide rates. The problem is us (non-Indigenous people).

9/ So, if, on this day, you wish to do something substantial about suicide, consider MATERIALLY SUPPORTING, sacrificing for, boosting, and centering Indigenous people in your suicide prevention strategies.

10/ Donate to an Indigenous charity. Demand Indigenous leadership in your community. Respect Indigenous culture. Listen. If you are a non-Indigenous person on stolen Indigenous land, don't get defensive about the fact that you are a colonizer and start in a deficit of trust.

11/ You have to do more.

12/ I have developed this series of tweets with input and review from some Indigenous voices, but I may have made mistakes. Please correct or add your voice if you feel I have.