Tag: Salvos

Is Suicide Prevention Australia genuine about preventing suicide?

Is Suicide Prevention Australia genuine about preventing suicide when it endorses the work of the Salvation Army?

Today is World Suicide Prevention Day.  A lot of people are seriously trying to save a lot of people’s lives.  On the surface this looks like a genuine effort, and for the most part it is, but look a little deeper and not everything is as rosy as you’d like to think.

Suicide Prevention Australia endorses the Salvation Army in their attempts to curb suicide.  Yet the Salvation Army does not believe homosexuality is acceptable.  In fact the Salvation Army does not even acknowledge same-sex attracted people as an at-risk group on their Suicide Prevention Resources & Information page, despite rates of suicide amongst same-sex attracted youth currently reaching alarming levels.

Read my recent and unanswered letter to Ryan McGlaughlin, CEO of Suicide Prevention Australia.  I urge you to write to him as well and ask him the same questions as I do.  Why does SPA continue to endorse the Salvation Army, an organisation with homophobic attitudes that are harmful to same-sex attracted youth?  Why is Suicide Prevention Australia staying silent on this matter?

SPA need to speak out loudly against the Salvation Army and any other organisation that is intolerant of homosexuality.  Until then they can’t be seen to be serious about preventing suicide.