The Australian Suicide Prevention Foundation  is a nationwide, non-government, privately funded organisation focussed on providing an outlet for those considering suicide and their friends and relatives affected by such an event. Our basic message is “you would never advise a friend to die; tell yourself what you’d tell a friend”.

For over twenty years ASPF has run a nationwide dial in recorded telephone message service providing a 12 minute recorded information service aimed at giving comfort, direction, an opportunity to reflect and an alternative to the person making the call. In addition, we have created several web sites with similar messages for the individual and their linked community.

Our phone service attracts some 5,000 calls per year and our web site has more than 700,000 hits per year and growing; disturbing numbers and clearly providing a service. The one-way communication has been strategically targeted at the majority of potential suicides, males. One-way because males, unlike females, are less likely to expose their state of mind or inner feelings to others. Australia has some 2-3,000 suicides each year with a conservative estimate of 10-20 times that number making an attempt. For every one person in this frame of mind there are on average 30-50 family members, colleagues and friends affected as a result.