Murder-suicide cases show need to review Hong Kong welfare safety net
- Carers from all sections of city society carry financial and psychological burdens, but official help appears to mainly target those from grass-roots families
Murder-suicide cases make more than sensational news headlines. The recurrence of such incidents in Hong Kong, the latest involving an elderly couple in an upscale residential neighbourhood, prompts deeper reflection on the common problems facing those from all walks of life as the city tries to cope with a rapidly ageing population on limited resources.
The circumstances that prompted a 71-year-old woman to take the life of her ailing 84-year-old husband before trying to kill herself can only be imagined by those who have no experience as carers. The man, who suffered from dementia and muscle atrophy, was found dead with tape covering his nose and mouth inside a Kowloon Tong flat, while his wife was discovered injured and unconscious on the floor beside a bloodstained knife near his bed.
She reportedly had experienced suicidal thoughts and was worried about not being able to take care of her husband. The incident was reported to police when a domestic helper arrived that morning to change the man’s underclothing, and the woman has since been charged with murder.
Such tragedies more typically occur among the poor and underprivileged, who often lack the awareness and financial means to take better care of themselves. But the couple in the latest incident came from a rich and prominent family with extensive business and personal interests in society.
And, unlike in previous cases, they were not known to be receiving help from the government.
Some lawmakers say current welfare services primarily target grass-roots families, and struggling members of the middle and upper classes are therefore not inclined to come forward for assistance. The social welfare safety net appears to be seriously inadequate if this is the case.
Carers often not only carry a physical and financial burden, but also they find themselves hopelessly trapped in the role, become depressed and open to ill-conceived thoughts of a way out of their predicament. It is worrying that a hotline offering support to carers has received some 14,600 calls – or more than 80 a day on average, since it was launched in September last year.
Around a third of calls came from people seeking counselling, and a quarter related to requests for more support. While it is good to learn that carers now have some sort of backup, the demand for the service says a lot about the pressures they face.
Hongkonger, 80, dies in alleged murder-suicide attempt in MTR toilet, wife survives
That raises the question as to whether more proactive services can be provided in a city where, regardless of personal circumstances, one tragedy is one too many. The authorities should also review the welfare safety net to ensure it covers a wider range of society.
