Male deaths by suicide remain high in Victoria, Coroner’s report
A recent Victorian Coroners Court report shows the number of male suicides in the state remains at a historic high.
Men account for 3 in 4 suicides in Victoria, with around 10 male suicides a week for the third year in succession.
The report records that there were 772 suicides in Victoria in 2024, including 563 male suicides and 209 female suicides.
On March 22, the inaugural Walk for a Bloke will take place in 19 locations around the world, including Shepparton, Melbourne and Albury/Wodonga on the NSW-Victoria border.
Organised by Spoke to a Bloke, Walk for a Bloke (formerly known as Nick’s Walk), aims to raise awareness about men’s mental health through 25km walks that can be undertaken in a team or as an individual.
Dale Skinner, who is leading Shepparton’s first walk at Victoria Park Lake, told the Herald Sun it was important to bring the community together around one of the most difficult issues in male health.
“Shepparton is a really multicultural town, so it’s really important to understand because every culture views mental health differently,” he said.
“I don't want my mates going to blokes’ funerals because they didn’t feel comfortable talking for whatever reason. I want this place to be a thriving, positive environment where blokes can talk openly.
“Every second bloke I speak to is happy to talk about someone else in their life that’s had a battle with mental health or suicide but there’s still that stigma around themselves.”