Warning: This story contains details about sexual abuse that may be disturbing to some readers.
A syilx Okanagan woman is taking the federal government and church authorities to B.C. Supreme Court, 60 years after her alleged abuse at a Vernon Catholic school.
Laurie Wilson filed a notice of civil claim against the Attorney General of Canada, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kamloops, the Catholic Public Schools of the Kamloops Diocese and the Sisters of Saint Ann on Oct. 23.
She attended St. James Parish School in Vernon from 1963 to 1970, and her civil action stems from the alleged psychological, spiritual, cultural, physical and sexual abuse she experienced there.
Despite the alleged abuse, Wilson has persevered in her life. She has five children, 11 grandchildren and one great grandchild. She graduated from law school at UBC in 2000 and has served as a councillor for the Penticton Indian Band, all while being "a vocal advocate against injustice to Indigenous communities," according to her lawyer, who calls Wilson's action a rare example of an Indigenous person eschewing a class action lawsuit in order to get the full benefit of the Canadian legal system over claims of historic, institutional abuse.
No consent
Wilson was bussed from the Okanagan Indian Band reserve to the St. James school daily during those years, but the lawsuit claims this was not by free choice. It states that St. James was never a "Federal Indian day school," instead being a school for "children of Caucasian Catholic families," where Indigenous children such as Wilson were coerced by the institutional defendants to attend.
"At no time did the plaintiff, or her parent(s), give meaningful or valid consent for the plaintiff's attendance at the school," the lawsuit states. "The Crown, through its local Indian agent, mandated and paid for the plaintiff's attendance at the school, and her transportation to the school. At all material times, the plaintiff attended the school under duress."
The alleged abuse
The lawsuit provides a lengthy list of mental suffering, assault and battery Wilson allegedly suffered at the hands of the clergy, religious sisters, teachers and staff at the school.
The list begins with the attempt to erase her Indigenous culture and language, alleging aspects of her culture were referred to at the school as "worshipping the devil." Wilson was also allegedly told repeatedly that she "had no soul," and that "her skin was black because she never washed and that she was 'dirty.'"
The lawsuit describes Wilson being slapped, having her hair and ears pulled, and forceful and repeated "strapping" on her legs, hands and arms. It alleges that on at least two occasions, a nun brought her to a monsignor's office, where he "picked (her) up by her vaginal region and placed her on his lap, applying pressure with his hand on her vaginal region for several minutes."
The lawsuit also alleges that abuse was also perpetuated by Caucasian students, with the implicit permission of the defendants.
'Profound shame, degradation and humiliation,' and other injuries
The lawsuit lists a number of injuries Wilson suffered. The physical injuries include fat lips, sore ears, hair loss, head pain, blood blisters, bruising, and swollen limbs.
Other injuries were longer lasting. They include depressive symptoms, anxiety, suicidality, complex post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, eating disorders, dissociation, diminished self-esteem, and an impaired ability to trust others.
The list also includes feelings of "profound shame, degradation and humiliation," injury to human dignity, moral and spiritual injuries, and loss of cultural identity and practice.
Wilson is seeking non-pecuniary and aggravated damages and relief for, among other things, loss of earning, housekeeping and parenting capacity and loss of interdependent relationships.
"The defendants' wrongs, collectively and individually, are reprehensible and morally repugnant to (Wilson) and to the community at large, such that punitive damages are warranted," the lawsuit states.
None of the allegations have yet been proven in court.
No response has been filed by Attorney General of Canada, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kamloops, the Catholic Public Schools of the Kamloops Diocese and the Sisters of Saint Ann.
