The following is a list of current and historic sites frequently chosen to attempt
suicide, usually by
jumping. Some of the sites listed have installed
suicide barriers, signs advising potential suicides to take other actions, and other precautions, such as
crisis hotline phones.
Exact numbers of victims are sometimes difficult to determine, as many
jurisdictions and
media agencies have ceased collecting
statistics and reporting suicides at common sites, in the belief that the reporting may encourage others.[citation needed]
An active volcano on the island of
Izu Ōshima. After a suicide in 1933, media reports led to hundreds of copycats until 1936, when access was restricted.[17]
Clifton Suspension Bridge,
Bristol, England, United Kingdom – more than 500 suicides since opening in 1864. Suicide barriers were installed in 1998, which halved the suicide rate over the years following.[28]
Kocher Viaduct,
Germany - highest bridge in the country. A suicide barrier was installed on the bridge after an unusually high 48 suicides between 1979 and 1990.[35]
The Monument, London, United Kingdom – was the site of six suicides between 1788 and 1842, when the gallery was enclosed by an iron cage to prevent such misfortunes occurring again.[37]
Segovia Viaduct,
Madrid, Spain – colloquially called the suicide bridge, starting from the 17th century until the 1990s, when it saw fatal falls at an average of one a week. A barrier was erected in 1998.[40]
Southerndown, South Wales, United Kingdom - well-known in the local area for suicides; at least 9 between 2000 and 2003.[41]
Colorado Street Bridge in
Pasadena, California, has been the host of numerous falls/jumps starting as early as its construction, when a worker who had been drinking fell off the bridge into wet cement. It has hosted many suicides since, and a large barrier/fence has been installed to keep people from jumping.[citation needed]
Sunshine Skyway Bridge,
Tampa Bay, Florida – At least 264 suicides by jumping from the center span into the waters of Tampa Bay since the opening of the new bridge in 1987. In response, the State of Florida installed crisis hotline phones and began 24-hour patrols.[58][59] The song "Skyway Avenue" by
We The Kings is about two lovers who decide to jump to their deaths together from this bridge.[60]
Tappan Zee Bridge,
Tarrytown, New York – more than 30 suicides between 2002 and 2012; sometimes referred to as "the Golden Gate Bridge of the East"[61] This bridge was
replaced in 2017 by a new twin span with fencing on its pedestrian/bicycle path to deter jumpers.
Vessel,
New York City, New York – In the less than two years that the Vessel was open to the public, four people jumped to their deaths.[65] After the first three deaths, some limited changes were made to prevent suicide.[66] Following the fourth death, however, the Vessel has been closed indefinitely.[67]
Because of its height (making it a known suicide bridge), a fence was erected in 2003 to deter people from jumping off. The fence costed around $1,000,000.[73]
Brisbane's Story Bridge is notorious for its suicides, having been compared to the
Golden Gate Bridge in
San Francisco.[74] Free telephones have been installed on the bridge, and the bridge also has a three-metre-high safety barrier.[75]
Although the bridge is not as well-known for suicides as many others in Australia, the bridge has had numerous suicides and incidents (intentional or not) that occur on the bridge usually lead in death.[76]
Had "up to one" suicide every three weeks.[77] Suicide rates on the bridge have dropped by 85% since prevention barriers were installed by the state government in 2009.
South America
Eduardo Villena Rey Bridge in
Lima, Peru. The bridge had to be covered with large windows due to suicide rates. The street under the bridge is believed to be haunted.[78]
São Paulo Metro,
São Paulo, Brazil. The Metro, as other subway networks in Brazil, have a policy not to publicly disclose the number of suicides taking place in any given period to prevent further attempts.
Third Bridge,
Vitória, Brazil. The construction of a suicide prevention net is currently being discussed by public authorities and the concessionary of the bridge.[79]
Costanera Center,
Santiago, Chile.[81] Dubbed as the "suicide mall", the fifth floor and the surrounding stairs had to be covered with large fences due to suicide rates.[82]
^Bateson, John (25 May 2012).
"The Golden Gate Bridge's fatal flaw". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2013. Since it opened on May 27, 1937, there have been an estimated 1,600 deaths in which the body was recovered
^
abBone, James (13 October 2008).
"The Times"(ECE). New York. Retrieved 23 October 2008.
^
abLah, Kyung (19 March 2009).
"Desperate Japanese head to 'suicide forest'". CNN.com/Asia. Retrieved 10 April 2012. 'Especially in March, the end of the fiscal year, more suicidal people will come here because of the bad economy,' he said. 'It's my dream to stop suicides in this forest, but to be honest, it would be difficult to prevent all the cases here.'
^Proske, Dirk (2004). Katalog der Risiken: Risiken und ihre Darstellung (Risk catalogue: Risks and their representations). Dresden: Eigenverlag. P. 146. Chap. 1.5: Soziale Risiken (Social risks), paragraph 1.5.1:
Suizide (Suicide).
^Falconer, Delia (2016).
"Echo Point". The Dictionary of Sydney.
Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Yet Echo Point's ambiguity and resistance to neatly scripted experience persist, most poignantly in its history as a popular suicide destination, and in the uncertainty that shrouds its Indigenous past.