At four, her head was shaved and her clothes burned. Aunty Lorraine doesn’t want her trauma to be forgotten
Summary
Aunty Lorraine Peeters was taken from her family at age four and placed in an institution where she was forced to adopt white culture. Now 88, she and others from the Stolen Generations seek more government support for healing, aged care, and access to records related to their removal. A new plan from the Healing Foundation calls for practical help and compensation for survivors as they grow older.Key Facts
- Aunty Lorraine was taken from Brewarrina mission at age four and sent to Cootamundra Aboriginal Girls Home.
- At the home, children’s heads were shaved, clothes burned, and they were forced to reject their Aboriginal identity.
- The Bringing Them Home report documented these removals nearly 30 years ago.
- Survivors and advocates want better support as many survivors are now elderly and still coping with trauma.
- The Healing Foundation’s plan calls for trauma-informed, culturally safe aged care and better access to records.
- The report also recommends removing medical co-payments and creating a compensation scheme in all states, noting Queensland lacks one.
- Aunty Lorraine helped establish support groups and pushed for government action over decades.
- Sorry Day commemorations highlight ongoing calls for justice and healing support for Stolen Generations survivors.
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