Fed: Helpline to help men with relationship problems

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2001
Fed: Helpline to help men with relationship problems

CANBERRA, Aug 26 AAP - The federal government will set up a 24-hour counselling hotline
aimed at encouraging men to discuss relationship troubles.

Community Services Minister Larry Anthony said men often suffered depression after
a separation but were more reluctant than women to talk about it.

"She'll be right, that's the attitude. But they aren't right," he said.

"What we certainly know in the past is men have been very unwilling, unlike females
let's say, to talk about their problems.

"The greatest risk for a lot of men when the relationship breaks down is that separation
period, as opposed to the divorce.

"During that separation period, the statistics are quite revealing that that's the
time, of course, when there's issues of poor health, depression (or) mental problems."

Separated men were six times more likely than married men to commit suicide, he said.

When the hotline opens on October 1, men can seek help around the clock.

"For a lot of men, it could be the middle of the night, it could be very remote places
where there are aren't other people around or you might not want to talk to other people."

AAP jb/md/br

KEYWORD: HELPLINE NIGHTLEAD

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