But there are no hot lines in rural Lutou, said Mrs. Wang with a laugh, noting than many people in the surrounding villages do not even have phones. Instead, in the summer of 1997, the local Woman's Federation and Communist Party cadres tried a more pragmatic solution, beginning with a notice broadcast on local television that urged farmers to guard against pesticide poisoning and suicide, attaching greater stigma to the practice. The newspaper in the nearby city of Zaoyang carried a similar reminder. In villages without phones or televisions, the message was played over the loudspeaker. In addition, the local government banned the most poisonous pesticides, and people were taught how to treat suspected victims.
Villages now have ombudsmen trained in conflict resolution as well.
Since the campaign started, there have only been eight suicide attempts at the Lutou Township Hospital, and they were divided equally between the sexes.