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EVERY DAY TRAUMAS

Every day, police officers come face to face with destruction, heartbreak, death and trauma, with one in five police officers now at risk of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). PTSD is of the contributing factors resulting in high suicide rates for men, especially within the emergency services department.

The woman you heard speaking before, Natalie*, was a member of the New South Wales Police Force for ten years, choosing to leave the force behind early this year. During her time as a police officer, Natalie was Senior Constable, Acting Sergeant, Team Leader and Custody Manager, with roles including general duties, reactive policing, school liaison work and youth liaison work.

Natalie chose to leave the police force after the trauma experienced on the job began to impact on everyday life, with nightmares and disrupted sleep, being unable to eat certain foods, and feeling constantly anxious and depressed. It is becoming increasingly common to hear of reports involving the suicide of a police officer, or rising rates of PTSD. The following audio explores PTSD within the police force and the role that masculinity plays in suicide rates amongst men.

Another aspect of life within the police force that involves both the individual suffering with post-traumatic stress or the victim that committed suicide, it also impacts those remaining. Each co-worker you lose is another reminder of the trauma associated with the job. Another flashback to a job that hit you hard, or a reminder of the last job that you tried hard to forget. The next audio clip are Natalie's recollections about a young officer that took his life a few years ago, despite having a deceptively happy appearance.

It is obvious that there is an urgent need for discussion surrounding male suicide rates and alarming rates of work related PTSD. This stand-alone interview will soon be joined by countless others featuring Fire Fighters, War Veterans and Ambulance personnel, who will tell their stories containing PTSD, self-harm, mental health and suicide.

*Names were changed to protect identities.

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