Missions and Institutions

 Elders Report into Preventing Indigenous Self-harm and Youth Suicide pdf

We end up with ideas on suicide prevention that come from Canberra and bear no semblance to what is needed in the community and on the ground

Prior to the late 1990s, Aborigine children were widely regarded as "morally deficient," explains the "Bringing Them Home" report, and the government perpetuated the belief that they were helping disadvantaged children at risk in their own communities by adopting them into white families or government institutions.

Reduce the extreme poverty and in addition send in a crack team of experts to identify trusted Elders and community leaders to work psychosocially with youth, families and communities to restore their right to hope. Fund this support, now ... it’s not rocket science.

Critics argue that assessments of neglect often fail to take Aboriginal culture into consideration.
 
"The classic example is the way Aboriginal children are raised not just by a nuclear family but collectively by grandparents, uncles and neighbors," says Paddy Gibson. "Just because Aboriginal kids are on the streets at night doesn't mean they aren't being watched." He said a lot of FaCS decisions are opinions based on hearsay or the assumption of neglect.

From 2001 to 2010, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) confirmed 996 suicides of First Nations people. That is 1 in every 24 of First Nations deaths by suicide. But my research argues that if we include estimates for unreported suicides and other unnatural deaths that should be identified as suicides, that the tragic tally is closer to 2000 suicides for the ten year period.

Many Indigenous people around the globe are very sad, insecure, unstable, scared, hungry and miserable. Invader imposed suppression and exclusion from natural culture and opportunity results in shame, humiliated and hopelessness.

Young Indigenous people have lost their hope for a better life. They are exploited and often enslaved by alcohol and drugs. These conditions of despair and misery cause the epidemic of violence and suicide. [node:read-more:link]