FROM PAGE A22

worker in the Strathcona area
of Vancouver. During that
time he lost five of ‘‘his
kids’’,

Onoof the reasons for self-
destructive behaviour in
teens, he says, is that they do
not feel challenged enough by
the world.

**“A common thing | saw
was that kids were ex-
perimenting with booze not
so much because they wanted
to know what it was like to be
high on alcohol, but because
there was nothing to do,”’ he
says.

The most productive times
with the street kids, occured

. when he engaged them in ac-
tivities such as camping, ball
hockey tournaments or cven
going to movies.

Many of the emotions and
upheavals of family life that
produce the suicide victim
also lead to self-destructive
behaviour, as does the pro-
spect of the future.

Adolescents may not see
many options available to
them after high school, with
the prospect of a good job or
university entrance appcaring
slim. Coupled with family
stress, the anticipation of a
bleak future can only add to
an already overwhciming
feeling of despair.

A further factor is the mat-
ter of sexuality, says
Scofield. Sexual abuse, con-

fusion over sexual roles and
death hy “‘sexual misadven-
ture’”’ play a significant role
in both suicide and risk-
taking behaviour:

**We know that probably
as many as 50 to 60 per cent
of girls who run away from
home and put themselves at
risk for all kinds of things,
including suicide, have been
sexually abused and_in-
terfered with,’’ Scofield says.
Incidents ran the gamut from
the girls being flashed or
fondled to incest or rape.

The sexual abuse does not
always occur in the home but
the sexual offender is most
often known to the girl.

In males, death often
comes about because some
males appear to have ‘‘an
eroticized view of death’’ ac-
cording to Scofield.

“*We know there Is an in-
crease in deaths from
stranguiations, particularly
for boys,”’ he says. ‘‘They're
usually in their carly teens
and they've clearly been
masturbating while they were
hanging. The lack of oxygen
to the brain creates a kind of
cuphoria ... there’s this sort
of heady rush that's perceiv-
ed as sensual.”’

Death in most such cases is
accidental and Scofield
charactcrizes it as ‘‘death by
misadventure’

“But they (the victims)
have serious depressive
features in their lives. So the
line between testing Che limit

PLASTIC PIPING, ready for installation, provides a graphic industrial certralt _ - and’
perhaps a sign that the economy continues to improve.

Teen suicide series

and slipping over into fatal
accidents is kind of close,”’

he says.
NEXT:

for Silver Harbour Centre /

‘Proposed lease of Mahon

Pool / ..Family Court Com-
mittee /: Road closure /
Greenwood Park: / Rezon-
ing, 829-835 West 16th /
Trans Canada-Second Nar-
rows highway connection /

Distribution of Emergency

Program pamphlet.
N.VAN DIST. COUNCIL,

‘Monday 8 pm: Development

i

Where troubled
adolescents can go for help.

Cozy, down-filled comfort
at the warmest prices in town:

that’s what we're offering right
now at Down ’n Under. Extra

long duck and

quilts

from Northern Feather, the
world’s leading down manu-
facturer. All quilts are from our
regular stock of high-quality
merchandise — and at these
prices, you can afford to feather
every nest in the house. So,
snuggle down and sicep casy.

Duck down:
Twin X. .$149
Double . .$179

Goose down:
Twin X. .$169
Double . .$199

Queen
King .

Queen
King .

. . $199
. $249

. $219
.$279

Heart of a Child

Come in and help us celebrate the
new store. Coffee and doughnuts:

Council agenda

N.VAN CITY. COUNCIL,
Monday 7:30 pm: Funding

permit, Indian River Housing
Cooperative / Rezoning by-
law, Grousewoods - United
Trades / Extension of
Monfroyal Boulevard /

Trans Canada-Second Nar-
rows highway connection /
Height, bulk of single family
dwellings / Development
permit, Lynn Valley Profes-
sional Group / Small lot in-
fill areas 13 and 14 / Out-
door burning / Arts Council
sculpture competition /

DOWN 'N UNDER

“Such stuff as dreams are made on...”

‘Monday 8 pm:

OPEN HOUSE FEB. 18.

as

WEST VAN COUNCIL,

Parking
bylaw, Horseshoe Bay 4

marina leases / Parks Dept.
capital budget / GVRD
development services /

Skateboard bowl, Inglewood
Centre / West Van Lawn

Bowling Club / Develop-
ment proposal, FisheriéS’ a ~

Oceans Laboratories.

WEST VAN SCHOOL
BOARD, » Monday: 7pm.

‘opening of.our
will be served ail
day. Factory reps will be on hand to answer. your
questions. Large selection of current editions as
well as back Issues from which to choose.  Spectal
. order service also available

_ MEMBER OF BRADFORD EXCHANGE

| Plates &
Village Coltectinies

"3164 Edgemont Blvd. (in the Village}
& North Van. 980-4757

Peer

Me Em BoD e Be es ae

cee pee
TaN

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