At least 122 Catholic clergy members sexually abused over 1,000 Native American children at 22 boarding schools since the late 1800s, according to a Washington Post investigation. The abuse, which primarily occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, took place at institutions established under the Civilization Fund Act of 1819 to assimilate Native American children into White society.
The investigation, led by the first Native American Cabinet secretary, Deb Haaland, involved interviews with more than two dozen survivors, attendance at “The Road to Healing” events, and the review of thousands of pages of court documents, depositions, lawsuits, and correspondence. The findings highlight the disparities and underrepresentation faced by Native American communities.
One of the schools implicated in the abuse is St. Mary’s Mission in Colville Reservation, Washington. The reporting drew on information collected by journalist Mary Annette Pember and her work at Indian Country Today, as well as stories by various other media outlets. The U.S. Interior Department’s Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative Investigative Report was also reviewed.
The revelations come at a time when the country is grappling with its history of mistreatment of Native American communities and the ongoing effects of intergenerational trauma caused by forced assimilation and abuse.
See “‘In the name of God’: Native American children endured years of sexual abuse at boarding schools” (June 2, 2024)
