Suicide: Who's at Risk?

Suicide does not discriminate. Whilst some people have more 'risk factors' than others, anyone from any background, gender or socio-economic group can be at risk at different points in their life.

Certain groups within the Australian community are at a higher risk of suicide. Some of these groups include:

• men
• young people   
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and other sexuality, sex and gender diverse people (LGBTI) 
• people in rural or remote communities
• people experiencing mental illness or with a history of developmental trauma
• people who have previously attempted suicide or who engage in self-harm
• veterans of all conflicts
• people bereaved by suicide
• people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, though within this broad population, there are substantial variations across cultures, age groups and gender.

It is important to understand that even though a person may fall into one or more of these groups, it does not mean that they will choose to take their own life. It simply means that, based on current data, people in these groups are at a higher risk of suicide than the general population.