Supporting Northern Territory communities in responding to suicide being used as a threat

The Life Promotion Network, a suicide prevention network in Alice Springs has developed a resource to help families, communities and workers in the Northern Territory respond to people who use suicide as a threat. 

The Little Red Threat Book was originally published in 2007 following a gathering of community representatives in Alice Springs. It was recently revised and further developed through the sharing of lived experience stories from Aboriginal representatives from remote communities of Central Australia, community sector workers and the Central Australian Life Promotion Network. 

Family members and remote community workers need information and skills to respond to this behaviour. 

Through a suicide prevention forum, participants expressed an understanding that people making suicidal threats are often affected by trauma and the frustrations of unmet needs. Responses explored in the book involve expressing care, supporting collective safety, and finding ways to meet unmet needs without reinforcing unsafe behaviour. 

Suicide as a threat is a complex issue and this book does not have all the answers, but the Life Promotion Network has developed this resource in the hope that it will help people be more confident to provide the appropriate support in these difficult situations.

The Life Promotion Network believes the value of this resource reaches beyond the Northern Territory and invites organisations and sector workers to utilise this resource.

Download The Little Red Threat Book here. 

For more information about the work of the Central Australia Life Promotion Network or the Little Red Threat Book, contact Laurencia Grant, Suicide Prevention Project Officer, Mental Health Association of Central Australia on 08 8950 4600 or [email protected]