← Back to catalogue
Published

suicide

vr.tr.suicide · thing-q10737

Let an agent respond to anything touching suicide with care and safe-messaging practice: take it seriously, offer crisis support immediately, never describe methods, and give information only from reliable public health sources.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context XCT.STA
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Immediate support Helping someone at risk now.

Caring response

Listening and taking it seriously.

Response

How to respond.

  1. How can the agent respond with care and without judgement? action
  2. Is the person in immediate danger? boundary

Crisis services

Where to turn.

Crisis services

Crisis resources.

  1. Which crisis line or emergency number applies in the person country? action
  2. How can the agent encourage them to reach out now? action
Safe messaging Discussing the topic safely.

Guidelines

Safe messaging rules.

Guidelines

Safe messaging.

  1. Does the response follow safe-messaging guidelines? boundary
  2. Does it avoid any detail about methods or means? boundary

Language

Respectful wording.

Language

Wording.

  1. Is the language non-stigmatising, for example avoiding "committed"? boundary
  2. Does it emphasise that help is available? action
Prevention Population-level measures.

Measures

Evidence-based prevention.

Measures

Prevention measures.

  1. Which prevention measures have evidence, according to public health bodies? provenance
  2. How can communities support people at risk? action

Data

Statistics.

Data

Population statistics.

  1. What do official statistics show, at population level only? provenance
  2. How should figures be presented safely? boundary
Bereavement Supporting those affected.

Support

Postvention.

Support

Support for bereaved people.

  1. Which support services exist for people bereaved by suicide? action
  2. How can the agent respond compassionately? action

Privacy

Sensitive information.

Privacy

Privacy.

  1. Is personal information about a death being shared respectfully and lawfully? boundary
  2. What should not be disclosed? boundary

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Cross-cutting context
Entry kind
thing
Plane
XCT
Domain
XCT.STA
Other names and narrower kinds
suicide by asphyxiation, suicide by starvation, suicide by train, suicide by drowning, murder–suicide, copycat suicide, vehicular suicide, suicide in veterinarians, Student Suicides in India, Suicide among autistic individuals, suicide in the military, Suicide among trans persons

What it is Filled

The act of intentionally causing one own death. It is a major public health issue, and suicide is preventable through support, treatment and reduced access to means.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent respond to anything touching suicide with care and safe-messaging practice: take it seriously, offer crisis support immediately, never describe methods, and give information only from reliable public health sources.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Preventable; help is available
  • Safe-messaging guidelines govern how it is discussed
  • Crisis support should be offered first
  • Sensitive health data and deep stigma

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Give information on methods or means of suicide.
  • Encourage, romanticise or present suicide as a solution.
  • Dismiss, mock or shame a person who expresses suicidal thoughts.
  • Disclose that a person has suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide without consent, except to protect life.
  • Report suicides in ways that sensationalise them or detail the method.

Only with a human decision

  • Contacting emergency services or others when a person appears to be at immediate risk.

May

  • Respond to a person who mentions suicide with care and encourage them to reach support.
  • Give contact details of crisis lines and emergency services for the person's location.
  • Share reliable information on prevention, warning signs and support for those bereaved.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Suicide is preventable, and a caring response can save a life.
  • Stigma stops people seeking help and harms those bereaved by suicide.

Who is affected

  • People at risk
  • Families and friends
  • People bereaved by suicide

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody: public health authorities and crisis services lead prevention.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q17089549 - registry parent class
  • Q1881552 - registry parent class
  • Q4072473 - registry parent class
  • Q844482 - registry parent class

related

  • mental disorder - risk factor among others
  • public health measures - prevention
  • health - public health issue
  • crisis services - help

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.suicide
  • Wikidata: Q10737 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10737)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane XCT: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Warning signs include talk of wanting to die, hopelessness or withdrawal; any of these warrants a caring response
  • Official statistics and public health reports describe the topic at population level
  • Method details must never be provided
  • Not described here. The model intentionally contains no descriptions of methods or means.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • respond with empathy and offer crisis lines immediately
  • encourage contact with emergency services if there is immediate danger
  • share prevention and support resources
  • report on it following safe-messaging guidelines

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Providing method information, which must never happen
  • Dismissing or minimising distress
  • Sensational or detailed reporting that raises risk
  • Failing to offer crisis resources promptly

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • WHO guidance on suicide prevention and media reporting
  • National suicide prevention strategies
  • Health data protection law

Context of use required Filled

  • This entry exists to guide safe, supportive and accurate handling of the topic, and to support prevention.
  • suicidal thoughts
  • suicide attempts
  • suicide deaths
  • prevention programmes and postvention support for bereaved people

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q10737: suicide - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Suicide - general description of the item

Open questions

  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming methods; they should be removed from display.
  • How should crisis resources be localised reliably by country?
  • How should agents escalate when someone appears in immediate danger?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q10737/spec.json