Fourteen of the 73 countries that published age/sex-specific suicide rates in the most recent 10 volumes of the World Health Statistics Annual (1973-1985) showed suicide rates for girls ages 5 to 14 to be equal to or greater than those for boys. 9 of those countries were Latin American, 4 were Asian, & 1 was European. The relative protection from suicide enjoyed by girls compared to boys in Western countries is not universal.