New Zealand Listener

Flooded with despair

Imagine a teenage girl popping into her local library. She is feeling depressed and needs advice. The librarian hands over books and videos about self-harm and suicide. Then, every day, the librarian makes a point of delivering to the girl more books and more videos, the content of which discourages her from seeking help elsewhere, romanticises acts of self-harm and keeps mentioning suicide.

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