'They shouldn't have to suffer': Hotline offers help to those impacted by residential school discoveries
The Indian Residential School Survivor hotline is experiencing increased demand for services after a pair of disturbing discoveries of unmarked graves at former residential school sites across Canada.
Executive Director Angela White told CTV News the number of calls increased after the Kamloops discovery of 215 unmarked graves, then climbed down slowly until this week's discovery by the Cowessess First Nation of 751 unmarked graves of both children and adults.
Then the calls started pouring in again.
"You knew it was there," White said, "but the number was very overwhelming."
White, who runs the Indian Residential School Survivor Society (IRSSS) that runs the line, said she also had difficulty finding the time to process.
After the discovery last month, staff set up a 24-7 crisis line. Workers take the calls at home, and she pointed out the needs of each caller are different. Some people want to share their story after feeling validated, she explained, while others were having a hard time confronting the trauma they suffered in childhood.
She said staff are trained to listen to callers and, if needed, refer them to long-term counselling.
The North Vancouver-based service isn't the only hotline of its kind. Although it is a provincial hotline, staff are fielding calls from all over North America as survivors seek culturally-specific supports.
The society that runs the line also provides programs and other supports. It gets some federal funding, and is accepting donations as it looks to adapt to the growing demand.
One cost that is growing is travel.
"There's a huge migration that happens every weekend to the Kamloops Indian Residential School and part of our job is to ensure that we are there and make sure the people who are showing up are safe, grounded, in a culturally spiritual way," said White.
White told CTV News through the First Nations Health Authority survivors do have access to ongoing counselling and to deal with the intergenerational trauma that lingers. IRSSS is now in a transition period, trying to figure out how to adapt to growing needs.
For now, she is encouraging everyone to reach out to Indigenous friends who may have been negatively impacted by the discoveries.
“The worst tragedy that we can have after this is having those who does self harm because everyone single one of their lives is validated and does matter and they shouldn't have to continue to suffer."
For CRISIS SUPPORT 24-7, call the Indian Residential School Survivor line at 1-800-721-0066.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Bob Cole, veteran CBC broadcaster and former voice of 'Hockey Night in Canada,' dead at 90
Bob Cole, legendary CBC broadcaster and former voice of Hockey Night in Canada, has died. He was 90.
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.