Increased Suicide Rates Concern Wilton Manors Officials

Officials in Wilton Manors, Fla., are alarmed over the increased rate of suicides that have taken place in the Broward County city known for its large gay population.

The Sun Sentinel reported that city officials plan to hold an informational meeting about suicide in April.

"When you look at our numbers, they don't jump out at you," said police chief Paul O'Connell. "When you compare it to a population of 11,000 to 12,000 people, that's when you get the real picture of how it impacts a small community."

The Broward County Medical Examiner's Officer reported that over the last four years, Wilton Manors had an annual rate of 47.3 suicides per 100,000 population. This rate is the highest in the county and more than three times county's rate of 14 per 100,000.

"When you start to see an increase in a small community like that, they're going to have their hands full," said Jackie Rosen, executive director of the Weston-based Florida Initiative For Suicide Prevention.

O'Connell said suicide has impacted a number of different people within the city's limits, including a 40-year-old gay man who took his own life after ending a relationship with his partner. A 52-year-old man, who had a wife and kids and struggled with his sexual orientation, committed suicide bystepping in front of a train.

According to Katherine Campbell, director of clinical services for SunServe, a social service and mental health agency for the LGBT community in South Florida, Wilton Manors' 40-60-year-old population as well as its LGBT population "stand out" the most.

"Anytime you have a marginalized community, that is a risk factor in and of itself," said Campbell.

"Many gay and lesbian people do not let anyone know what their orientation is," added Rosen. "Stigma is one of the biggest things we deal with. Without question, the economy is playing a part in the depression levels and depression is the No. 1 cause of suicide. If you're dealing with having a job problem, and you're dealing with family relational problems, those are two of the things that are very high causes of depression and not being able to cope."

LGBT rates among LGBT people, and especially youth, remain disproportionately high. A number of students have taken their lives due to enduring harassment based on their sexual orientation, including Jacob Rogers who killed himself in December.