Exploring the impact of taboo and stigma on rail suicide prevention in Australasia: A grounded theory and systems analysis approach

Suicide is the leading cause of rail fatalities and has far reaching detrimental human and economic impacts. Rail suicide prevention can be easily impeded by counter-messaging inherent in rail safety campaigns, and therefore, requires effective design. This study examined the attitudes, perceptions and understanding of rail suicide and its prevention in those involved with managing it in the Australasian rail industry. Participants (n = 97) shared their views in seven large deliberative forums held over six jurisdictions across Australian and New Zealand. A grounded theory design including thematic networks and systems analysis revealed that taboo and stigma had a pervasive influence on rail suicide prevention practices, and undermined preventive efforts in interrelated ways. Key themes and system variables were linked with problematic approaches to communication, problematic news media coverage, ambiguous, euphemistic and unhealthy language, problematic campaign design, endorsement and perpetuation of suicide myths, and issues with the accuracy and flow of train-person collision data. Stigma and taboo thwarts suicide prevention efforts and impacts both communication and design. Findings shed new light on the relationship between stigma and rail suicide prevention suggesting levers around governance and policy which have a key role in tackling the issues and easing the burden of those struggling in the middle.