• US$100

• 10 designs

• 4 designers

Infographic Design Brief

Title: The Unseen War: Veteran Suicide in America

Section 1: The Scope

Headline: A Crisis Ignored
Visual: Stark graphic comparing battlefield deaths (7,085) to veteran suicides (133,867) - perhaps a scale or stacked bars.
Key Stats:
22 veteran suicides per day (and rising)
57.3% higher suicide rate than civilians
"Each day, we lose more veterans to suicide than were lost in the entire War in Afghanistan." (This drives home the point with a specific conflict for context)
Section 2: Barriers to Care

Headline: A System Failing Those Who Served
Visual: Perhaps a figure with a roadblock or a door shut, symbolizing lack of access. Could also use a pie chart with the 75% not receiving care highlighted.
Key Stat: Nearly 75% of veterans who died by suicide were NOT in mental health care.
Subtle point: This isn't just about availability of care, but barriers like stigma, complex VA processes, etc. The infographic's tone should reflect that.
Section 3: Lethal Means

Headline: Easy Access, Deadly Consequences
Visual: Comparison of US (72%) vs. UK (5.9%) firearm suicide rates. Simple bars work well, the difference is stark enough.
Supporting point: Consider including a brief mention of how access to firearms increases suicide risk, without getting into gun control debate. This is about the means, not the cause.
Section 4: Demographics of Despair

Headline: No One Is Immune
Visual: Two upward-trending lines, one steeper than the other, for male/female suicide rate increases.
Key Stats:
Male suicides up 29.7%
Female suicides up 65.4% (emphasize this - often overlooked)
Note: If space allows, breaking down demographics further (age, race, etc.) could be impactful.
Section 5: VA Resources: Overburdened and Understaffed

Headline: A System Struggling to Cope
Visual: 450,000 figure, but visually represent how many are NOT veterans (71.77%). Maybe people icons, with the minority colored differently.
Key Point: While the VA has resources, is it effectively staffed for this crisis, especially with veteran-specific needs?
Section 6: Call to Action

Headline: What YOU Can Do
Visual: This is where it gets tricky. Maybe a three-pronged graphic (legislation, awareness, data).
Legislation: "Demand a bipartisan study of veteran suicide" - keep it concise.
Awareness: "Start the conversation. Ask veterans how they're REALLY doing."
Data: List the data points, but visually, this is the weakest. Maybe bullet points with icons (a clock for wait times, etc.)
Overall Design Notes

Color Scheme: Subdued, respectful. Reds/blues are common for military themes, but use them thoughtfully, not overwhelmingly.
Font: Clear, easy to read. Sans-serif is usually best for infographics.
Flow: Guide the viewer's eye logically through the sections.
Sources: Include a small section at the bottom with data source (VA, etc.)
This structure provides a framework for a compelling infographic. Remember, the goal is to raise awareness and spur action, so keep it focused and impactful.