Estepona joins this Saturday the solidarity walk ‘Darkness into Light’ to help people at risk of suicide

It will be a symbolic walk of 5 kilometers, which will begin at 6:00 a.m. at the Paseo Marítimo, at the height of the Chiringuito Palm Beach.

The proceeds will be used for the prevention and awareness of suicide and self-harm, and affected families.

The councilors attached to the delegations of Sport, Luis Gil, and Citizen Participation, Maria Aguilar; accompanied by the representative of the association ‘Pieta House’, Michael O’Halloran; and vice president of Afesol Mental Health Costa del Sol, Cristian Gonzalez, have reported on the tenth edition of the walk for suicide prevention ‘Darkness into Light’, to be held on Saturday, May 11, from 06.00 hours.

The mayors have highlighted the solidarity nature of this activity, which as in previous years will raise funds that will go to help people at risk of suicide, as well as their families. Also, both have expressed the willingness of the City Council to continue supporting this cause, and collaborating with all kinds of non-profit associations whose aim is to help people with problems.

For his part, Cristian Rodriguez explained that this is a non-competitive march in which people of all ages can participate. In addition, they have stated that it has a symbolic character because it will start at 06.00 hours in the morning and will culminate when the sun begins to rise “thus representing the path from darkness to light”. Participants will run 5 kilometers and will start from the Paseo Marítimo (Avda. España, 2, at the height of the Chiringuito Palm Beach), to the Mirador del Carmen.

Online registration can already be done through the web page: www.darknessintolight.ie or at the Afesol Mental Health offices in Benalmadena and Estepona. The price to participate is 21 euros and 26 euros if the T-shirt is purchased. All proceeds from the registrations will go to suicide prevention and awareness programs, as well as to the intervention and accompaniment of people who have suffered the loss of a loved one due to this cause.

‘Darkness into Light’, according to Michael O’Halloran, is a worldwide campaign promoted by the Irish Foundation ‘Pieta House’, which works in suicide prevention, began in Dublin 15 years ago and last year achieved the participation of more than 200,000 people worldwide. In addition, he has highlighted that according to data published in 2021 by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), suicide remains the leading external cause of mortality in Spain.

In 2022, according to data published by the INE on December 19, 2023, 4,227 people died by suicide in Spain, an average of 11.6 people per day; 74% of them men (3,126) and 26% women (1,101). Thus, 2022 becomes the year with the highest number of suicides recorded in the history of Spain since data is available (1906).

With respect to 2021 (the year in which 4,003 deaths occurred for this reason), in 2022 there was a 5.6% increase (4.8% in men and 7.8% in women). This is the highest number of suicides ever recorded in Spain, and the third consecutive year in which this figure has been exceeded.

By age, the highest number of deaths by suicide occurred in the 50 to 54 age group (468), followed by the 55 to 59 age group (479) and the 45 to 49 age group (444). In all these age groups there has been an increase compared to 2021.

If in 2021 the high number of child suicides was of concern (22 children under 15 years of age took their own lives, compared to 13 in 2022), in 2022 the increase in adolescent suicide (15 to 19 years of age) is striking, especially in boys: while in 2021 there were 53 suicides (28 boys and 25 girls), in 2022 there were 75 (44 boys and 21 girls).

Also of concern is the increase in suicides among younger women (15 to 29 years): 79 in 2021 and 117 in 2022.

Since last year, the 024 suicide hotline has been available. This is a public, free and accessible resource, available 24 hours a day, and managed by psychology professionals, whose objective is to assist people with suicidal behavior or intention and their environment.