Police Investigate Possible Female Suicide in Vancouver Alley

There is a body covered in a downtown Vancouver alley, near Taxi coffee shop on Richards between Pender and Dunsmuir Streets. Witnesses are saying that it is a possible suicide involving a female. While I could not get the attention of people on the other side of the alley, we do have a witness reporting from the scene.

"Someone jumped off the building beside us. Dead. I can see the body, just 30 feet from me outside the window. It's a lady, 35, in the alley"

An April 2007 article in the UBC Reports on-line mag had this to say about the growing rate of reported cases of female depression and suicidal tendencies:

"It’s
a tragic paradox -- more women report being depressed, but more men
kill themselves.

Suicide Facts

• 4,000 Canadians commit suicide each year
• For men, suicide rates are highest in the 20s and after 60
• In Canada, suicide rates are highest in August and late July
• Of people with severe depression, 15 per cent commit suicide
• Suicide accounts for 24 per cent of all deaths among Canadians aged 15-24; 16 per cent for those aged 25-44

Suicide Risk Factors

• Age
• Unemployment
• Social isolation
• Chronic illnesses

Sources: Mood Disorders
Society of Canada; Dr. Ciaran Mulhollan.

http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcreports/2007/07apr05/bigboys.html

Unfortunately, Vancouver is a hot spot for both social isolation concerns and illnesses related to drug abuse or homelessness...