Controversial drama 13 Reasons Why is the undeniable topic of the moment, clocking enormous ratings for Netflix and becoming the most tweeted-about show of 2017.
But the Selena Gomez-produced series has also caught a fair bit of flack for its graphic depiction of suicide, including a warning from mental health organisation Headspace that the show could trigger copycat behaviour in young people watching.
New Zealand has responded by creating a new television rating: RP18. It means that people under 18 years old must be supervised by a responsible parent or guardian while watching the series.
NZ’s Office of Film and Literature Classification already had two RP ratings – RP13 and RP16 – but in a statement regarding the new classification, they said that “these classifications would not address the harm caused to 16 and 17 year olds (who are statistically at greater risk of suicide.)“
They also suggested that there was a level of irresponsibility on the part of the show’s creators, saying:
“’13 Reasons Why’ does not follow international guidelines for responsible representations of suicide. The scene depicting Hannah’s suicide is graphic, and explicitly about the method of suicide she uses, to the point where it could be considered instructional.”
The office said they made the decision to create the new classification after talking to teenagers aged 14 to 18, who felt that the series was a realistic reflection of many of their experiences. However, deputy chief censor Jared Mullen told Stuff.co.nz:
“These issues need to be talked about in a way that is informed and safe – parents, guardians and other adults need to have open conversations with teens about the issues raised by the show.”
The suicide rate in NZ is one of the highest in the developed world.
Source: TechCrunch / Stuff.co.nz.
Image: 13 Reasons Why.
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