The 'cornered animal' analogy and the issue with 'risk assessments'

[TAW122]

I just found a good analogy when it comes to how prolifers treat the suicidal and those who wish to exit suffering. It is the 'cornered animal' analogy. What do I mean by a cornered animal? Most of us know that when an animal is cornered, it will be desperate to escape being cornered (pressured and put into that position). In doing so, the "scared and threatened" animal will do whatever it takes to be free of such a predicament, either running away, fighting it's way out, or doing whatever it takes out of nature. But instead of the cruel humanist letting the animal free (instead of cornering it), the humanist would exploit whatever he/she could from the animal (whether it is slavery, for consumption, for emotional support, etc.), prevent the animal from retaliation, defending itself, and doing whatever it can to escape imprisonment. So (to keep in line with the analogy), CTB prevention is akin to bite prevention, attack prevention, etc. rather than letting the animal be free to do whatever it is in nature, in the wild...

Note: I'm not a vegan, but I figured this animal analogy would make perfect sense. I am against animal cruelty and I do believe that animals deserve the respect and compassion that we even fail to grant us fellow humans, which is euthanasia and be free of pain and suffering. I'm merely using the animal analogy to reference how prolifers treat and deny prochoicers the right to die.

On a different point, but similarly related to the topic, there is the issue of how risk assessments are used. Many prolifers turn towards risk assessments to determine whether a said person is at risk of CTB'ing. The problem is that they don't care why the person wants to CTB, but rather how likely the person will CTB. They fail to address the causes of why someone wants to CTB and only tries to scope out information regarding risk and do everything they can to prevent the very action (CTB) that the person is choosing rather than trying to fix the underlying problems and/or respecting an individual's choice to CTB. Even worse are the prolifers who proactively and try to scope out in advance by watching for signs and "preemptively" prevent someone from CTB'ing ahead of time. Those are the worst and most dangerous of prolifers as they are oftenly a step (or few) ahead of the pro-choicer.

In an extreme example, I suppose if one is literally stopped from all avenues and realistic ability to CTB (no peaceful methods, even violent and barbaric means are taken away, desperate means including passive CTB as well), then humans would be reduced to just their animalistic instincts, not out of choice but out of desperation created by the environment and situation, but that's a different topic.

 

[Forever Sleep]

Yes, I think you're right- a lady I worked with called a suicide helpline in desperation once. She said the first question and all they were really interested in is- 'Do you have a plan?' They're there to stop you going through with it but from what people seem to say- don't particularly care WHY you want to do it.

Hmmm, cornered animals do sometimes attack... Think most of our claws are turned inwards though.

 

[Wilting Daisy]

I do agree with your view on this. The "cornered animal analogy" causes many to outright lie as a result of being interrogated as well.
Several lives are put at risk when this happens.
I believe there should be greater access to "warmlines" with trained professionals who are equipped to listen (not parakeet everything back to you after a risk assessment!)
On the other hand, there's something about having someone concerned with your safety...
When you believe no one else cares, at least it feels like someone does in that moment.
The fact that an ordeal could take place because of you can be exhilarating when you've felt numb for so long.
In my experience, that alone is enough to make me realize how serious I am about ctb.

 

[TAW122]

Yes, I think you're right- a lady I worked with called a suicide helpline in desperation once. She said the first question and all they were really interested in is- 'Do you have a plan?' They're there to stop you going through with it but from what people seem to say- don't particularly care WHY you want to do it.

Hmmm, cornered animals do sometimes attack... Think most of our claws are turned inwards though.

Perhaps to add on to my animal analogy is that if the evil human(s) declaw the animal and defang the animal (which is incredibly cruel and inhumane) to prevent resistance and retaliation, then the animal will do itself best to resist in whatever way it can (and still have the ability to), even if it is crying or resorting to nature's way. Then again if the animal is intelligent enough to see it's captors tormenting and torturing it, then it may override it's SI (survival instinct) to try to die in whatever way it possibly can. Depending on the animal, I'm not sure if animals know how to VSED (I know some may do that but not all?).

I do agree with your view on this. The "cornered animal analogy" causes many to outright lie as a result of being interrogated as well.
Several lives are put at risk when this happens.
I believe there should be greater access to "warmlines" with trained professionals who are equipped to listen (not parakeet everything back to you after a risk assessment!)
On the other hand, there's something about having someone concerned with your safety...
When you believe no one else cares, at least it feels like someone does in that moment.
The fact that an ordeal could take place because of you can be exhilarating when you've felt numb for so long.
In my experience, that alone is enough to make me realize how serious I am about ctb.

I do want to add that if there is 'greater' access to the "warmlines", it should be noted that these professionals may involve authorities if they have reason to believe that the caller is in imminent danger as involving authorities (whom oftenly end up detaining and locking up the caller) may only make things worse for all parties, especially the caller.

I don't really agree with the notion of feeling that someone cares about one when they are concerned with another's safety, especially when it comes to violating another person's free will just so they can avoid the guilt of another person exercising their free will to CTB. It reduces down to the concept of ego and pride above another fellow human being suffering.

 

[summers]

Perhaps to add on to my animal analogy is that if the evil human(s) declaw the animal and defang the animal (which is incredibly cruel and inhumane) to prevent resistance and retaliation, then the animal will do itself best to resist in whatever way it can (and still have the ability to), even if it is crying or resorting to nature's way.

Humans have declawed other humans in many countries. It's just as cruel among us as it is to do to an animal.

 

[FuneralCry]

Well said. Nobody should ever have to feel trapped in this world, I think that any form of suicide prevention is just prolonging suffering. Denying suicidal people methods and trying to force them to live will just make them more desperate to escape.