The Recovered Memory Debate
Recovered memories are memories of traumatic events that have been partially or fully forgotten, and then were later recovering into one’s conscious mind. There is very strong scientific evidence that recovered memories exist. The content of these memories have fairly high corroboration rates. The idea of repressing memories has been explained as a common way the mind deals with pain, by trying to push them out of awareness.
There are many studies that have proven that the recovered memories of traumatic events exist. Brown, Scheflin and Hammond found 43 studies that showed recovered memories for traumatic events. The Recovered Memory Project has collected 101 corroborated cases of recovered memories. Hopper’s research shows that amnesia for childhood sexual abuse is “beyond dispute” and he states that “at least 10% of people sexually abused in childhood will have periods of complete amnesia for their abuse, followed by experiences of delayed recall.” In one study of women with previously documented histories of sexual abuse, 38% of the women did not remember the abuse that had happened 17 years before. It has been shown that most recovered memories of abuse either precede therapy or the use of memory recovery techniques. An individual case study provided evidence of the existence of recovered memories on videotape.
Allegations of False Memory
Various theories have been developed around the idea of false memories. The idea of a “false memory syndrome” has been called a pseudoscientific syndrome which was developed to defend against claims of child abuse. Research has shown that most delayed memories of childhood abuse are true. It has been shown that false allegations of childhood sexual abuse are rare and children tend to understate rather than overstate the extent of any abuse experienced.
The rates of memory commission errors have been shown to be low (at least in professional trauma treatment). These rates in adult misinformation studies run between zero and five percent for adults and between three to five percent for children. People who recover memories have scored low on suggestibility in one study. This study challenges advocated theories of suggested memories. One research study has showed how it is unlikely to be able to plant a false memory of a traumatic event
Those that promote the theory of a false memory syndrome have been questioned for their motives in doing so. These include questionable statements about pedophilia, the accuracy of their research, their harassment of those that disagree with their theories and attempts to discredit child abuse survivors. They have been accused of manipulating the media. It has been stated that the theory of false memory itself has been used as a defense in court to try and negate criminal and abusive behavior.
Further Reading
Dissociation & the Fragmentary Nature of Traumatic Memories: Overview & Exploratory Study
Recovery and Verification of Memories of Childhood Sexual Trauma
The Body Keeps The Score: Memory & the Evolving Psychobiology of Post Traumatic Stress
The Leadership Council – Trauma and Memory
“True” and “False” Child Sexual Abuse Memories and Casey’s Phenomenological View of Remembering
Brown, Scheflin and Hammond (1998). Memory, Trauma Treatment, And the Law (W. W. Norton) ISBN 0-393-70254-5
Whitfield, Charles L.; Joyanna L. Silberg, Paul Jay Fink (2001). Misinformation Concerning Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Survivors. Haworth Press. ISBN 0789019019.
About the Author:
Bess Cannon works diligently to expose child abuse crimes and educate the general public about these crimes. Bess has been working many years on the Internet and in the media to expose these crimes.
