Internet Suicide Pacts are a Growing Social Phenomenon

Since the late nineties, internet suicide pacts have been a dark worldwide phenomenon. Japan is the country where most of these incidents have taken place. In 2005, there were 91 suicides stemming from this online trend. These pacts are usually hatched at internet chat rooms on websites geared to suicide information and death wishes. In Japan, most of the internet pact victims have been early teens troubled by the usual adolescent problems stemming from family, bullies, and romance. Non-internet Japanese suicide victims, however, have been middle age pensioners with financial troubles.

The Japanese phenomenon

Some attribute the Japanese phenomenon with a longstanding tradition of suicide as an act of honor in Japanese culture, particularly in respect to the warrior ethic. The most bizarre aspect of the internet pact phenomenon is the "Match.com-like style" search for partners in this act. Like dating sites, pact participates can find their prospective partners in chat rooms or via posted ads. When asked, some suicide aspirants have said that suicide isn't so scary when done with a partner or partners.

Methods

In Japan, the chosen suicide pact method, in most cases, has been carbon monoxide poisoning using a barbecue grill burning charcoal briquettes in a room sealed with duct tape and plastic sheeting. In 2003 alone, Japanese authorities had reported over 35 victims.

Of the suicide pact websites, there are some that are over-the-top in mean-spirited behavior, egging on participants to end it all on camera online as soon as possible. In 2005, a Japanese man was arrested for forming fake suicide pacts with three victims, suffocating them in two separate incidents and filming their deaths for his private enjoyment.

Before the internet, suicide pacts as a social phenomenon had existed in Japan in the form of lonely hearts clubs through snail-mail. According to the most recent World Health Organization tally, Japan has the highest suicide rate in the world with over 24 suicides per 100,000 people.

Internet suicide pacts in other countries

Japan, however, isn't the only country facing this growing problem. Suicide pacts are also increasing in South Korea. In 2006, an estimated one-third of the country's suicides have been attributed to suicide pacts that originated at online chat sites.

This phenomenon is also spreading to Hong Kong with an estimated 25% of suicides by charcoal asphyxiation.

In 2005, a young couple died in the UK's first internet-originated suicide pact. In 2007, three teenaged boys died in a suicide pact in Northern Ireland.

As for America, in 2005, an unemployed Oregon man was arrested for plotting a Valentine's Day mass suicide with dozens of people in an internet chat room.

SOURCES:

"Japan's internet suicide clubs", Andrew Harding, BBC

"Japan's chilling internet suicide pacts", Kari Huus, MSNBC

http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2006/03/70386

"Internet-arranged suicides surge in Japan", Hiroko Tabuchi, San Francisco Chronicle

"Tracking an online trend", Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times

"Internet suicide pacts shock Japan", Julian Ryall, The Scotsman

"Fake internet suicides", Sydney Morning Herald

"Carbon Monoxide Poisoning", American Psychiatric Association

"Triple deaths raise fears of Irish suicide pact", Owen Bowcott, Guardian