Stolen Generations

This essay will examine an aspect of civil rights or the origin that developed the need of civil rights by focusing on the following point; the stolen generation. The 'Stolen Generations' are the generations of Aboriginal children taken away from their families by governments, churches and welfare bodies to be brought up in institutions or fostered out to white families. The reasoning behind this was to completely demolishing the aboriginal way of life that can only be passed on to their children. In removing their children, language, tradition, knowledge and culture would be unable to be passes on. In hope of getting rid of “the aboriginal problem”. By taking the children away from the 'bad influence' of their parents and family it would be easier to make them more 'European', and force them to fit in to white society.

Removing children from their families was official government policy in Australia until 1969. However, the practice had begun in the earliest days of European settlement, when children were used as guides, servants and farm labour. The children were forced to cut off any connection with their parents. They were severely punished when caught talking their own language. Some children were never taught any traditions and received little or no education. The girls were often trained to become domestic servants and boys as stockmen. Many of the stolen girls and boys were physically, emotionally and sexually abused. Many babies were taken away as soon as they were born. These children often grew up to pass on the kinds of abuse they suffered to their own children (intergenerational trauma). Due to this, Aboriginal people suffer from many social and personal problems including mental illness, violence, alcoholism and welfare dependence. Today, members of the stolen generation are still yet to be introduced to their blood related families.

Widespread awareness of the stolen generation only began in the late 1970’s. The action that’s created this