Life is a battle we need to surpass and win with. Almost each of us knows that. If you love the life God has given you, no matter how much weight the world gives you, you’ll fight just to survive. That’s the true essence of being a human created into His likeness. We’re great survivors. Aren’t we?
Somehow, beyond that great strength and courage we have, it’s hard to admit but we’re also got some shameful fear deep within ourselves- cowardice that burst up when everything around us turned out differently from what we’re expecting and hoping for.
We got problems, we slowly feel the weight in our shoulder too much, we have no one to talk to, we get depressed, and we think of something unforgiving to do- end our life or what we called ‘suicide’.
Since it is done by will of a person, it’s an inevitable accident we can’t stop (not unless if there’s someone sticking beside to the suicidal person). There have been countless accounts of suicide all over the world and lately, it is still happening and is still on counting.
The weird thing is these people with suicidal tendencies have their favorite place to end their ‘sorrowful’ life. It always been a mystery but here are the 10 strange suicide locations all over the world. The last one is VERY terrifying!
1. Eiffel Tower, France
Because the French government doesn’t want to draw attention to the Eiffel Tower as a suicide destination, it is difficult to find exact numbers, but we are assured it’s a lot. Jumping off of the “Iron Lady” is the third most popular means of suicide in France (preceded by poison and hanging). Despite all the security measures taken, where there’s a will there’s a way.
The first known suicide at the Eiffel Tower was committed by a 23-year-old man who hanged himself from one of the beams in 1898. Of all the Tower suicides, two people actually survived after jumping from the first floor, which has a 171 foot drop. One person was blown onto a rafter by the wind. The other, a woman, landed on a car and rumor has it she eventually married the owner of the vehicle.
2. Mount Mihara, Japan
In 1933, a 21-year-old student, Kiyoko Matsumoto, committed suicide by throwing herself into the volcanic crater of Mount Mihara on the Japanese island of Izu Oshima. After Kiyoko’s incident, it then became a new ‘suicide point.’ In 1933, there are at least 944 people jump into the crater. The following year there were 350 suicides and visitors would often travel to Mount Mihara just to watch people jump.
Soon after, the Mount Mihara suicide epidemic ended through enhanced security to prevent suicides and making it a criminal offense to purchase a one-way ticket to the island.
3. Beachy Head, England
It is a home to the largest number of suicides in Britain. It sees about 20 suicides a year, and the earliest reports of deaths come from as far back as the 1600’s.
4. Overtoun Bridge, Scotland
This is the suicide place of dogs and for the past 50 years, approximately 50 dogs have jumped to their deaths from the exact same spot on the Overtoun Bridge.
All the deaths have taken place on sunny, clear days and even stranger, all the dogs in question were long nose breeds – labs, collies and the like.
5. Niagara Falls
It is believed that there is a ‘suicide season’ happening after Memorial Day weekend in late May. Each year, approximately 20-25 people decide to end it all at the Falls, which makes it second only to the Golden Gate as a suicide destination in the U.S.
Local historian Paul Gromosiak estimates there have been 2,780 known suicides there between 1856 and 1995, but like the Golden Gate the number is probably much higher because many bodies are never recovered.
6. Colorado Street Bridge, California
This is dubbed the ‘suicide bridge’ for its large number of suicides where approximately 150 people ended their lives. The bulk of suicides occurred during the Great Depression.
One of the more notable stories is that of a despondent mother who threw her baby girl over the railing on May 1, 1937 and jumped after her. She died but the baby landed in some trees and was later rescued from the branches.
7. The Gap, Australia
The cliffs that make up The Gap are currently home to the largest number of suicides in Australia. The locale has been a popular suicide spot since the 1800’s. But thanks to Don Ritchie, because for 50 years he lived across the street from The Gap and when he saw someone a bit too close to the edge, he would walk over and ask them if they’d like a nice cup of tea. He saved over 160 people that way.
8. The Tube or London Underground
This has been a suicide destination since it opened in the 19th century. Starting in 1940, the rate of suicides in Tube stations was about 25 a year. That rate increased to about 100 a year by the 80s. Officials say this is less than expected considering more people ride the trains than they did in the 40’s.64% of suicide attempts in London Tube stations are usually made by young men.
9. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge
Since it was opened in 1937, there have been more than 1600 confirmed suicides, but the real number of people who have jumped from this spot is unknown. Ocean currents are strong around the San Francisco Bay and people can be carried out to sea long before they can be recovered. Still, with 1600 suicides and counting, the Golden Gate Bridge is the top suicide spot in the U.S.
10. Aokigahara Forest, Japan
This is known as the ‘suicide forest’ because it is the most popular suicide destination in all of Japan.
Police records show that 247 people attempted to kill themselves there in 2010, and 54 actually completed the act, but that number could be significantly higher considering many people come to the Aokigahara forest and end up dead in another wooded area because they don’t exactly know where the forest is.
The forest itself has an eerie history. After the novel Kuroi Jukai was published in 1961, in which a young lover commits suicide in the forest, people started taking their own lives there at a rate of 50 to 100 deaths a year.
Nice facts! Could u pls add some more! Thnx! Very interesting!:-)
i’ll try to go Aokigahara Forest to take a suicide … 🙂 who wants to come with me .. just pm