:: GussetBLOG ::

:: Wednesday, March 31, 2004 ::

The UK has the highest self-harm rates in Europe. Another stat that will be appearing on UK Shamed Again soon, I'm sure.
I'm not sure whether or not I'm surprised by this figure, I don’t really remember it being that common when I was in my teens although I do remember some instances of it. Although surely the vast majority of cases go unnoticed by peers?
I watched Secretary recently, which as well as being very funny and incredibly erotic was probably the most insightful study into the psychology of self-harm I've seen on film (non-documentary at least).
The reason this news story really caught my eye was because every time I see something like this it now instantly brings to mind an image I saw when at Glastonbury Festival last year. Sat outside one of the bars, watching people go by as whoever was on stage wasn't particularly interesting, I saw a young girl, around mid teens say, wearing skatery/gothish type clothing walk by displaying scars all over her arms. She had marks that looked as it they were from cuts, all equally sized and spaced evenly, about 2cm apart, all the way up her arms from her writs to hear her armpits, where they disappeared under a stripy top that was like a natural continuation of the scar pattern. It was an arresting image to which I wasn't quite sure how to react. Part of me wanted to leap up and talk to her about it, part of me wanted to take a photo as no one would be likely to believe it if I told them about it, part of me felt I should just look away. I reasoned that such marks, so blatantly and purposefully on show, could only be a cry for attention. But reacting as she probably wanted people to would only encourage her to do this more (if she had any more room for further lacerations!?) I still wish I had captured that moment of film, there was something peculiarly beautiful about it, but I know I feel guilty enough about this response without having indulged it any further. What is the best way to deal with this sort of situation? </waffle>

:: Dan 31.3.04 [Arc]    ::
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