In fact, I missed finding one of the most important Australian reports related to the healing of historical trauma until I was almost finished a version of the website. I ended up having to restructure a fair bit of the website once I had read the 2008 Social Justice Report of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Here are a few important things this report had to say:
"However, it is now time to develop a comprehensive understanding of healing and look at ways that it can be systematically supported. In previous Social Justice Reports have found that many of the good examples of healing are ad hoc and poorly funded, when what is needed is consistent, long term support to heal the wounds of the Stolen Generations, their families and communities.
It is also timely to bring an agenda for healing to the fore of the national agenda on Indigenous affairs..."
"... The theory of intergenerational transmission of trauma; the findings of major reports like Bringing them home; the daily realities of abuse, suicide and mental illness, alcohol and substance abuse and sky rocketing incarceration rates among Indigenous communities, all point to the imperative for community wide healing. All Indigenous peoples have been touched by trauma in some way. All Indigenous peoples deserve the opportunity to work through this trauma to heal..."
"... Finally, healing is not just about Indigenous peoples. Healing is part of reconciliation. It is not about attributing blame or a 'black arm band' view of history but honestly facing up to the mistakes of the past and acknowledging our shared history and shared future..."
Why not read more from this report?