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Royal College of Psychiatrists call for the removal of websites

The Royal College of Psychiatrists is calling for a crack down on websites that promote self-harm.

The body is concerned by the number of sites that appear to either promote or romanticise self-harming and is calling on internet service providers and website owners to monitor and remove such images or material. The college has made the comments following an investigation by BBC Radio Ones news team, which found that the number of young people under 25 years old admitted to hospital with self-harm injuries had risen by more than 50 per cent over the past five years.

According to the investigation there were 2,727 admissions in the UK for self-harm with a sharp object in 2008/9, compared with 1,758 in 2004/5. Recent surveys have found that Britain has one of the highest rates of self-harm in Europe.

The Royal College is also calling for the government to provide more accessible youth-focused mental health services and advice to parents who are concerned their child may be self-harming.

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