A
survivor says the trauma of the Stolen Generations is being transferred
to younger generations in a cycle that needs to be broken, ahead of the
eighth anniversary of Australia's apology.
Sharing stories and
bonding with other Stolen Generation members has proved to be one of the
best ways to help men and women heal, a new report from The Healing
Foundation says.
Survivor Aunty Lorraine Peeters says children are
still being affected by the older generation's loss of culture, family
and community.
"If you grow up in a household where you've got
traumatised people that have all these issues, they are being
transferred down to the next one," she told reporters at the launch of
the report at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence (NCIE) in
Sydney.
The launch included performances from musician Archie Roach and a gathering of survivors who shared their stories.
Aunty
Lorraine, 77, who was taken from her parents and trained as a maid, has
called on the federal government to take up the report's
recommendations for more indigenous-led programs.
"(The trauma) will continue if it's not broken and ... collective healing is one way of getting through that," she said.
An
analysis of 31 projects involving 3676 Stolen Generations members has
shown the western model of counselling doesn't help victims, The Healing
Foundation says.
They need trauma-informed services with
knowledge of the Stolen Generations, says the foundation, which is a
national organisation focused on supporting members of the Stolen
Generations and their children.
Recommendations to the government
include greater access to "collective healing" opportunities, such as
yarning circles, trips and family reunions.
Originally published as Trauma of Stolen Generations 'passed down'
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