Sexist and dangerous Samaritans ad

[Meadowbird]

https://twitter.com/samaritans/status/1760599123923722266

A really bizarre ad - encouraging lone women to approach disturbed men on deserted train station platforms and ask them out for a coffee. What could possibly go wrong? They also will become sexier if they do apparently.

Great article- thanks for sharing.

As usual, Glosswitch knows the score.

It's not bizarre it's very helpful for the 6 men a day who kill themselves (and their families, wives/girlfriends). Nothing will go wrong. You should try it. The ad deserves an award. Why would someone post such a message its worrying.

Nothing will go wrong? Promise? All men are safe to approach?

Doing nothing whilst someone kills themselves could be construed as criminally responsible (It is in some countries) not having a chat. Jeeez

Because when you are depressed or in crisis you fear authority figures and officials - sometimes they are the reason for the depression. There's lots of data and research on this (which advertising agencies consult before making storyboards) as well as lots of research on 'how women feel' as not indicative of the facts of the issue (i.e 6 men a day commit suicide and only 0.097% of women are actually attacked by a stranger). That's ONS figures of course not how people 'feel' on this forum.

"Women! Are you failing to take responsibility for the mental health of all men?! You selfish, useless besoms should all be arrested. If you're at home, go out now. Seek a man in distress and soothe him, this instant."

'6 men a day commit suicide and only 0.097% of women are actually attacked by a stranger'

Astonishing stats. Where did you get them, please? And can you elaborate?

Bloody women and their so-called "feelings" when they have a job to do. To hell with the stupid cows.

Plus, what is an "attack" even?

Where do you get a figure of 0.097% of women are actually attacked by a stranger from?

What does attacked by a stranger mean? Does it include the sexual assaults that go unrecorded?

Do you mean "per day"?

This. It's about trying to reach out to someone who may or may not be struggling. And that's something for everyone to do because you know what, it might be you or someone you care about one day. And that person making a tiny effort to form a connection could make all the difference between someone walking away safely or jumping in front of a train. Sometimes it doesn't take much to make a difference.

It's from the office of national statistics. And if unrecorded then it isn't data is it (basic statistics). I know it upsets people but the chances of being attacked as a woman - even though it is horrendous - are very very small. We as women 'feel' unsafe but in reality we aren't. The chances of dying as the man in the ad are very high (6 per day). That's the issue.

Why do they always use a woman in these adverts?

6 men a day commit suicide and only 0.097% of women are actually attacked

Not comparable figures. To even begin to compare we would need the number of women attacked, not a percentage, and a timeframe of per day.

Also a source/sources for the figures

The chances of dying as the man in the ad are very high (6 per day).

It's not a fair comparison, because it's easy for me to prevent my own suicide, bluntly speaking. it's not in any sense the same as a risk of being assaulted by someone else which you have no control over.

It's from the office of national statistics.

Please link it. That's not enough to understand what it's referring to.

Part of the reason more women are attacked at home is that when out and about most women practice safeguarding of themselves and avoid placing themselves in situations they are vulnerable to a stranger.

If women start approaching men with chat up lines the statistics would go up .

What @GrandDuchessOfBillericay said.

If women start approaching men with chat up lines the statistics would go up .

I think that's a risk many are ready for women to take.

The focus of this ad seems to be lecturing women on how to be the 'right kind of woman', instead of what's going on with the potentially suicidal man on the platform.

Yes. This.

It seems that a campaign aimed at men would be better. They are these men's friends, acquaintances, brothers, cousins and colleagues.

I wouldn't argue with those sentiments.
But I don't see why it has to be a woman making the approach in the ad.
Or why the 'two sides' of her are presented so stereotypically.
Or why 'uptight woman' is eye-rolled and mocked for hesitating.
Or why (although, as we've seen, I feel less strongly about this point than do others on here) she engages with him about a coffee, rather than something with pretty much zero sexual connotations like 'do you know if this is the right platform for Derby?'

Depends. If she initiates a conversation with him then he might not be counted as a stranger any more.

But what figures are you referring to? What type of attacks? Where? Over what period?