A policeman in Kirkuk has committed suicide on Wednesday in his house by pistol gunfire, a security source anonymously told KirkukNow.
This case of suicide is the first in 2022 in Kirkuk which has recorded 98 suicide cases in last year, 78 of which were for females over twenty years of age.
According to the security source, "the suicide took place before one o'clock in the afternoon, Wednesday, when we received the notification after one by the people of the area."
In 2020, 65 cases of "suicide" were recorded in Kirkuk, 50 cases were females. Over several years, many Iraqi families have suffered with mental health scars caused by past conflicts and economic hostilities, World Health Organization WHO said in a story about suicide in Iraq in December 2020.
“Many communities have also faced new stay-at-home restrictions or limited movements to curb the spread of COVID-19.” Public health experts talked to WHO raised concerns about factors may increase suicide rates including social isolation, anxiety, fear of contagion, uncertainty, unemployment, chronic stress, and economic difficulties, which could worsen depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Family problems behind suicide
The source, in a telephone conversation with the KirkukNow reporter, confirmed that "the security forces went to the policeman house located in Amal Shabi area northwest of Kirkuk, and during the initial investigations, it was found that the suicide was due to domestic problems."
"The relatives of the policeman filed a complaint against his wife," the source added.
Various factors could contribute to rates of suicide in Iraq, WHO found out, including intimate partner problems, physical health conditions, financial challenges, and legal issues. Others are personal or family experiences of violence, for instance, child abuse, neglect, or family history of suicide and broader community conditions, such as high crime rates and violence.
According to the latest statistics of the Iraqi Ministry of Interior, more than 772 "suicide" cases were recorded in Iraq, and this number is greater compared to 2020, which witnessed the registration of 663 cases, according to the semi-official Iraqi Media Network.
Some of these cases are teenager girls below 14, committed suicide because of forcible premature marriage.
In that statistic, 60% of those who "committed suicide" were males, 40% of them were married, and more than 36% of the victims were under 20 years old, compared to 32% between 20 and 30 years old.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the motives for suicide for 35% were related to psychological stress, 35% due to psychological disorders, 13% to poverty, about 10% due to unemployment, and some of them "committed suicide" due to failure in high schools and universities.
