Call to ban web images of self-harming

MEDICAL experts have called for internet images that "romanticise" self-harm to be removed after new figures showed a 50 per cent rise in young people being admitted to hospital for deliberately cutting themselves.

There were 1,758 admissions for self-harm with a sharp object among people under 25 in 2004-5. This rose to 2,727 in 2008-9, according to the BBC research. The Royal College of Psychiatrists has now called on websites to take down any information that appears to glamorise the activity.

Dr Margaret Murphy, chair of its child and adolescent faculty, said: "The RCP is seriously concerned at the recent growth in the number of internet sites featuring images and video footage of young people engaging in self-harm and, in particular, websites which appear to promote self-harm."