Coroner warns students at risk of suicide due to peers ‘self-monitoring’

University students are at risk of suicide culture of “self-monitoring” among peersa coroner warned.

alexander rogersThe inquest heard that a third-year materials science student at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, committed suicide after expressing discomfort with sexual intercourse.

The inquest this month concluded his suicide was likely influenced by “the isolation he felt” following the isolation he experienced. was ostracized by his fellow students.

Oxfordshire district coroner Nicholas Graham expressed such concerns in a letter to the Department for Education. “exclusionary behavior” and “cancel culture” Alexander’s condition is becoming increasingly common in British universities.

Mr Graham warned there could be more deaths if ministers do not take action to tackle the problem.

Alexander, 20, who was described at the inquest as an “extremely talented and popular young man”, died after he was seen entering the River Thames from Oxford’s Donnington Bridge on January 15.

Emergency crews pulled his body from the water and determined he had suffered a head injury.

The inquest heard that after the young man discussed the woman’s “allegations” with his friends, they told him that he was “terrible”, that they needed to get away from him for a while and that they would check on him in a few weeks.

The inquest, which lasted two days, said he appeared “distraught after this conversation” and died the next day.

The Preventing Future Deaths report stated: “There are concerns that social exclusion has become normalized within student communities and that individuals view this as an expected and accepted response to certain allegations or behaviour.

“This normalization hinders the development of healthy and supportive social environments.”

The coroner, who Alexander’s family asked to consider writing the report, added: “Social exclusion can have serious and lasting negative effects on mental health. “This can lead to feelings of isolation, shame, guilt and worthlessness, all of which are considered risk factors for suicide.”

‘Self-regulating community’

Mr Graham warned that students at universities across the country were “self-policing their communities” when serious allegations were made and this was done without a formal process or “appropriate evidence”.

Mr Graham warned of the impact of the incident in his findings following the investigation. “cancel culture” he writes of the students: “The evidence…was that students could rush to judgment without knowing all the facts, avoid those accused, and (a) ‘pooling’ could occur where one group could form a negative view of another individual.”

Mr Graham said he could not establish that this culture contributed materially to Alexander’s distress and decision on the day of his death.

But he said that “cancel culture” likely influenced his peers “in forming the judgments that they made,” and that it was possible that Alexander felt there was no way back to his social group because of that culture.

A serious incident review commissioned by Corpus Christi College after his death found a “worrying culture of social exclusion” among some of the student body.

Mr Graham said the university had begun to act “with some rigor” on the recommendations made in the external review.

His report was also sent to Alexander’s family as well as the university and college. The Ministry of Education is legally obliged to respond within 56 days.

Following the investigation, a college spokesperson said: “The College has commissioned an independent review to determine all the learnings in this case to minimize the likelihood of such a tragic loss happening again.

“A university working group has been established to implement all the recommendations, some of which have already been implemented.

“The university is also working on the recommendations made in the review as part of its ongoing work on student welfare.”

Mental health support is vital

A Department for Education spokesman said: “This is a tragic situation and our thoughts are with Alexander’s loved ones.

“It is essential that students have access to the mental health support they deserve and that universities take all necessary steps to prevent suicides.

“We will work closely with the coroner, the higher education sector and suicide experts to ensure the lessons of this case inform our ongoing efforts to support student well-being.”

The Office for Students has been asked to allocate £15 million this year to improve mental health services at universities and ensure students have access to timely and effective support, Whitehall sources said.

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