The Mental Health of Residential School Victimspar Lillian Parker
1. One of his victims stated that he began drinking alcohol at age 12 to forget. Many of the other victims took their own lives or died of alcohol abuse.
2. A known abuser at the 'Alberni Indian Residential School' used candy to bribe boys for oral sex, he would then brutally beat them if they tried to escape. He made the boys bring him other young boys to "enlist as his new victims."
3. "Indigenous children sent to residential schools were subjected to rape and even molestation from principals, teachers, dormitory supervisors and even maintenance workers and janitors" (Hopper).
4. At some residential schools upwards of 70% of the students were subject to sexual abuse.
5. Residential schools had poorer sexual health and the spread of infectious diseases such as, HIV, AIDS and STIs were common.
6. Many residential school attendants were reported to have many physical health conditions, due to poor conditions, which include; chronic headaches, arthritis, allergies and heart problems as well as Hepatitis C.
7. Attending the residential school affected the diet of many people. There was a high consumption rate for carbohydrates; which is linked to higher rates of diabetes.
8. Physical Health
9. Sexual Abuse
10. It was found that Indigenous Peoples who suffered with abuse at a residential school were more likely to have a history of suicidal thoughts or attempts.
11. Suicide and suicidal thoughts were associated with personal or familial attendance of a residential school. Not only Indigenous Peoples who attended the residential schools were affected.
12. Substance use and addictive behavior is common among people that attended a residential school. Some attendees shared that they used drugs and alcohol as a 'coping mechanism' to deal with the sexual, physical, emotional and mental abuse they experienced at the schools.
13. Personal or intergenerational attendance to a residential school was related to many mental health issues; such as mental distress, depression, addictive behaviors and substance use, stress and suicidal behaviors.
14. In a study of "127 residential school survivors all but two suffered from mental health issues such as PTSD, substance abuse disorder, major depression, and dysthymic disorder" (Wilk)
