This article is from page 38 of the 2013-12-31 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 38 JPG
THE number of young Clare girls who are purposely cutting themselves every day has increased dramatically since 2009, prompting fears of a epidemic of self harm in the county.
According to figures obtained by The Clare People in May, the number of Clare girls deliberately cutting themselves jumped dramatically in 2010 and has remained high ever since. This has prompted fears of a self harm epidemic amongst Clare school girls, with fears also being raised about the possibility of copy cat cutting.
According to the National Register for Deliberate Self Harm, 100 Clare girls and women received hospital treatment because of self harm in 2009, with 186 hospital visits taking place in total. In the same year, 96 Clare boys and men required hospi- tal treatment, with a total of 172 hospital visits taking place.
These figures are broadly in line with national and international averages, with girls generally engaging in self harm slightly more than boys. However, in 2010 and 2011 the number of Clare girls self harming jumped dramatically, with 124 and 120 girl receiving hospital treatment respectively.
Cutting is the most common form of self harm, however poisoning and alcohol abuse is also common, especially amongst males.
“It has become more and more common among school girls,” The Clare People was told.
Girls as young as 12 years old are cutting themselves, or injuring themselves in some other way, with hundreds requiring hospital treatment for their self acquired injuries each year.