PRESS RELEASE: Historic 2,500 Empty Shoes Presentation for Male Suicide Celebrating International Men’s Day Parliament House Canberra 16 November 2023
Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program would like to invite you to attend and assist with promotion of this years, largest visual presentation of men’s suicide to ever take place in Australia and quite possibly the world. We endeavour to create a ripple effect of positive awareness through education on the men’s suicide crisis in Australia. The global theme for International Mens Day, which will be celebrated on 19 November 2023, is “ZEREO MALE SUICIDE”.
During last year’s event we laid down one shoe for each man or boy that died by suicide. This was 2358 empty shoes We laid down 2500 shoes as road accident and drug overdose deaths are not always recorded as suicide. The 2500 number has become very significant with rises of between 8-11% in the first 2 reported states data from 2022 in men alone. We are currently losing between 40 and 50 men and boys a week with annual data showing men’s suicide has been double the entire Australian road toll for many years now and is now nearly triple the Australian road toll in 2022.
This visual presentation is provided as free of charge event for the Australian community and for all organisations and members of parliament to attended. Media and organisation promotion is the only way we can get this message out. This is not a protest. This is a memorial event for the families to have recognition for their lost loved ones and so we can come together and educate Australia on the key factors that can reduce men’s suicide. Our minimum goal at the very least is to STOP THE RISE. We can’t reduce numbers while they are increasing. The constant increase shows the current methods are not working when it comes to men.
We encourage to reach to others and be kind with your words. Help us raise awareness about the men’s suicide crisis by attending the Canberra parliament house ACA LAWN on November 16th and in turn help us promote the public event for Sunday “International men’s day 2023” November 19th at the same location. Each day the event goes from 10AM – 3PM. On Thursday we have many Senators and members of parliament attending and speaking alongside leaders in the field all working together to raise awareness through the visual display of these empty shoes.
This event will continue running annually every year and it will be the marker for suicide prevention and awareness in our country and an opportunity to annually raise awareness and have our politicians and leaders in the field announce changes and positive outcomes that occur throughout the year to turn the tide of male suicide. Over 75% off all suicides in Australia are men and boys and by publicising this reality we raise awareness of the distress and mental health anguish that affect our entire community.
Kind Regards, Paul Withall – Zerosuicide Community Awareness Program, the Australian People and these 2500 souls. Mobile: 0457100010 Email Address: [email protected]
