Covering violent crimes is one area where journalists need to use caution as they have a significant influence on how the public views mental health and suicide.
When a man with schizophrenia attacked two ladies brutally with a knife at a shopping mall in Diamond Hill, Hong Kong, last year, the attention of the world was drawn to the way the government of the city was handling its mental health crisis. The homicides provoked a public discussion over the appropriate response by Hong Kong authorities to individuals experiencing severe mental health problems (Mind HK, 2023).
The biggest duty of a journalist covering suicide is to refrain from publishing any information that can incite others to commit similar crimes. It's crucial to avoid oversimplifying the causes of suicide deaths as well.