Elder Abuse in First Nations Communities

Indigenous people in Canada have a complex history and legacy of being systemically abused through colonization that included residential schools, loss of language, culture and spiritual practices, and multi-generational trauma that lasted from the 1800’s until the mid 1970’s and 1980’s. As a result Aboriginal Elders, older adults and vulnerable adults be even more reluctant to report abuse as it has become so internalized that they don’t see it as abuse, or experience with the “system” has been so unsafe that seeking supports had harsh and negative consequences to their people. In addition to the types of abuse seen in mainstream communities, a form of abuse in Aboriginal communities may include denial of access to ceremonies/cultural events or threatening to put bad medicine on someone.