The Campaign Against Living Miserably: Breaking the silence: How an image, not an ad transformed the way the UK treats male suicide

The Campaign Against Living Miserably: Breaking the silence: How an image, not an ad transformed the way the UK treats male suicide

Project 84 demonstrates how CALM transformed the way the UK treats male suicide, by placing 84 statues on top of the ITV tower for the whole world to see. Despite growing awareness of its prevalence as the single- biggest killer of men under 45, male suicide rates were increasing. This was in no small part a result of the deafening silence surrounding the issue; the less suicide was discussed, the more stigmatized and virulent it became. Despite a total budget of £100,000 Project 84 pierced this silence, sparking widespread media coverage and social conversation. The intervention led to the prevention of 283 suicides, the appointment of the UK’s first Minister for Suicide Prevention, and delivered a societal payback of £5,119 per £1 spent.