Students at risk of suicide because of ‘self-policing’ by peers, coroner warns

Alexander Rogers
University student Alexander Rogers, 20, killed himself after becoming a victim of ‘cancel culture’, an inquest found

University students are at risk of suicide because of a culture of “self-policing” among their peers, a coroner has warned.

Alexander Rogers, a third-year materials science student at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, took his own life after a woman expressed discomfort over their sexual encounter, an inquest heard.

The inquest concluded this month that his suicide was probably influenced by the “isolation he felt” after being ostracised by his fellow students.

Nicholas Graham, the area coroner for Oxfordshire, has now written to the Department for Education expressing his concern that the kind of “exclusionary behaviour” and “cancel culture” suffered by Alexander is becoming increasingly common at British universities.

Mr Graham warned there could be more deaths if ministers fail to take action to tackle the problem.

Alexander, 20, who was described at the inquest “as an extremely able and popular young man”, died after being seen entering the River Thames from Donnington Bridge in Oxford, on Jan 15.

Emergency services retrieved his body from the water and found he had suffered a head trauma.

Oxford University
Oxford University, where Alexander Rogers studied materials science. A spokesman said it would do more to improve student welfare - David Goddard/Alamy

The inquest heard that after the young man discussed the woman’s “allegations” with friends, they told him he had “messed up”, that they needed space from him and that they would check up on him a couple of weeks later.

The two-day inquest was told that he had appeared “distraught after this conversation” and had died the next day.

In his Prevention of Future Deaths report, he stated: “There is concern that social ostracism has become normalised within student communities, with individuals viewing it as an expected and accepted response to certain allegations or behaviours.

“This normalisation hinders the development of healthy and supportive social environments.”

The coroner, who was asked by Alexander’s family to consider writing the report, added: “Social ostracism can have severe and lasting negative impacts on mental health. It can lead to feelings of isolation, shame, guilt, and worthlessness, all of which are recognised risk factors for suicide.”

‘Self-policing community’

Mr Graham warned that students in universities across the country are “self-policing their community” when serious allegations are made and that this is being done without formal process or “proper evidence”.

In his findings of fact after the inquest, Mr Graham had warned about the impact of “cancel culture” on students, writing: “The evidence… was that students could rush to judgment without knowledge of all the facts, could shun those accused, and [a] ‘pile-on’ might occur, where a group would form a negative view about another individual.”

Mr Graham said he could not find that this culture had materially contributed to Alexander’s’ distress and his decision on the day he died.

But he said “cancel culture” would possibly have influenced his peers “in forming the judgments that they did” and that it was possible Alexander felt that because of this culture, there was no way of getting back into his social group.

A serious incident review after his death, commissioned by Corpus Christi College, identified a “concerning culture of social ostracism” within an element of the student body.

Mr Graham noted that the university had already started acting “with some diligence” on the recommendations raised in the external review.

His report has also been sent to Alexander’s family, as well as the university and college. The Department for Education is legally bound to respond within 56 days.

Oxford uni students
Oxford University commissioned an independent review into the death of a student ‘with the aim of minimising the chance of such a tragic loss happening again’ - oversnap/iStock

A spokesman for the university said after the inquest: “The college commissioned an independent review to identify all learning in this case with the aim of minimising the chance of such a tragic loss happening again.

“A college working group has been set up to take forward all the recommendations, a number of which have already been implemented.

“The university is also working on recommendations made by the review as part of its ongoing work on student welfare.”

Mental health support vital

A Department for Education spokesman said: “This is a tragic case and our thoughts are with Alexander’s loved ones.

“It is essential that students have access to the mental health support they deserve and that universities take all necessary steps to prevent suicides.

“We will be working closely with the coroner, the higher education sector and suicide experts, to ensure that lessons from this case inform our ongoing efforts to support student welfare.”

Whitehall sources said the Office for Students has been asked to allocate £15 million of funding this year to enhance mental health services at universities, ensuring students have access to timely and effective support.