Suicide in China

Our objective in conversational English class is to get the students to talk English as much as possible for six hours a day. This much conversation requires hundreds of topics and games. We often talk about politics (Iraq, Tibet, Taiwan, terrorist events in NW China) and the economic recession, but each day we have specialty topics. Today's topic: "China has the highest suicide rate among women in the world."

Their written responses:

"Actually, I can't believe that. You know, nowadays, women in China get greater and greater power. Their status has also greatly improved. They have more stress, and their hearts are too weak."

"I think the causes may be these for young women:

1. Unhappy marriage and family violence

2. Sex discrimination in society makes it hard for them to get a good and suitable job.

3. High pressure in study and competition

For older women:

1. They are badly treated by their children and their hearts are hurt badly.

2. They are too poor to live on.

3. They can't bear the pain that illness brings to their body and mind."

"I think that modern women in China are faced with more problems. They have to deal with not only the problems of their family but also the problems of their work. Most of them die of the problems of their family."

"Fact: The suicide rate among women is 3 times that among men. The suicide rate in the country [rural] is much higher than that of the city. In China, especially in the country, women have a lower position than men have. It is an old concept but it still exists. The policy in the country isn't very good. It separates the city and the country. Farmers have a very low position. Society always ignores the mental problems of people who want to suicide. In the country, the tools people use to suicide are easy to get, especially agricultural chemicals. 70% of the women who suicide die of this."