General Article Samaritans’ suicide-prevention campaign urges rail passengers to make small talk to save lives

Topic Selected: Self-harm and Suicide
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An extract from an article by the Huffington Post.

By Sarah C. Nelson, Senior Editor

Commuters and travellers are being asked to trust their instincts and look out for fellow passengers who might need emotional support.

A new suicide prevention campaign called Small Talk Saves Lives aims to give members of the public the confidence to act if they notice someone who may be at risk of suicide on or around the rail network.

Launched by the Samaritans, British Transport Police (BTP), various train operating companies and the rail industry, the campaign hopes to save many lives a year.

By highlighting that suicidal thoughts can be temporary and interrupted with something as simple as a question, the campaign aims to give the public the tools to spot a potentially vulnerable person, start a conversation with them and perhaps save a life.

Small Talk Saves Lives was developed after research showed that passengers have a key role in suicide prevention and further insights which revealed the ...

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