Female Suicide in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Izaddin Rasool
Salahaddin University- Erbil

Abstract

Female Suicide in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq Assist. Prof. Dr Izaddin Abdulsamad Rasool Salahaddin University, Erbil/ Iraq Email: [email protected] Abstract Female suicide is considered to be a serious problem in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This paper aims to interpret the social and culture factors that influence the rate of female suicide and attempted suicide in the KRI. It is widely recognized to be at a comparatively high level, and not well understood, with a significant proportion of cases involving burns. This paper will focus only on data based on interviewing with four different groups as mentioned below. Background information was collected from the qualitative aspects of the data obtained through a semi structured interviewing in which four different groups includes Journalists, Directorate for monitoring violence against women (DMVAW), Coroners, and Clerics of were interviewed are presented and analysed based on emerging thematic questions. The main focus of this paper is on recent original data collected on the phenomenon of female committed and attempted suicide in the KRI, in three cities: Erbil (Hawler), Dohuk, and Sulaymaniyah between June and September 2010. The interviews were face to face. Self-burning is the most common method for young female age 16-35 years old, with the youngest at 14 years old, and the oldest at 35 years old. The paper will argue that social factors are the main drivers for female suicide attempters and committers in the KRI. Keywords: Female; suicide; Kurdistan; Iraq

Presentation