Author Description

Through an analysis of their case files, the report discusses: the demographic and problem profiles of residential school Survivors and their families prior to, during and after residential school; the residential school experiences of the sample; the prevalence and co-morbidity of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental disorders; and the treatment needs of residential school Survi [...] The Aboriginal Healing Foundation (AHF) provided the funding and policy direction for the research, which is intended to assist in understanding the extent, types and effects of physical, sexual and psychological/emotional abuse on the mental health of a sample of Aboriginal Survivors of the residential school system. [...] The sample was drawn from Aboriginal plaintiffs in British Columbia, most of whom have sued the federal government of Canada, the United Church of Canada, the Anglican Church and the Roman Catholic Church for the abuse that they suffered as students of the residential school system. [...] The effects of socialization into the dominant culture and the subsequent cultural loss experienced by Aboriginal victims of the residential school system also impacted the families and communities of the children when they returned to their homes. [...] In addition, there are various accounts of being exposed to the cruelty of other Aboriginal children, the systemic racism of the residential school system and the perpetuation of the cycle of abuse.