Jacobs Works with R;pple Suicide Prevention Charity to Create Hope

This year’s World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10 continues to focus on “Creating Hope Through Action” and tools like R;pple and Jacobs’ One Millions Lives are aiming to do just that.

Suicide prevention is a global challenge – according to the World Health Organization, an estimated 703,000 people die by suicide worldwide each year. The U.K. and Ireland-based charity, the Samaritans, reports that research of suicides of young people found suicide-related internet use in 26% of deaths in under-20s, and 13% of deaths in 20–24-year-olds.

R;pple Suicide Prevention

Currently available in the U.K., R;pple, created by Alice Hendy, is a browser plug-in that prompts an automatic pop-up when a person searches for harmful keywords or phrases relating to the topic of self-harm or suicide. These phrases include any words or terminology which have been identified as displaying potentially damaging online content.

If a user searches for harmful content via online web searches, forums or video sharing sites using one of the keywords configured within the R;pple interceptive tool, it triggers R;pple into action. Before the person is directed to the online results relating to their search, R;pple displays a message of hope followed by a selection of 24/7, free mental health charity partners available to contact in a variety of different communication methods, including calling, texting, webchat and a self-help tool.

R;pple is available to download as an extension for Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Microsoft Edge and Opera browsers and is free for individuals, parents and guardians, schools, colleges, sixth forms, universities and registered charities.  It is supported by more than 70 mental health charities and organizations who assist in raising awareness about self-harm, suicide and bereavement by suicide.