Willie Brihow

False memories in patients undergoing therapy has brought attention to practitioners in many areas of psychology. Issues pertaining to the credibility of such memories have been up for debate, including memories of sexual abuse, accused by both children as well as adults. Were these adults really recalling memories that have been supressed under the direction of their therapists, or were the memories “created” by repeated suggestion? Were the children telling authorities about events that really took place, or were there techniques applied to get at traumatic experiences which served to plant memories that somehow became their own? Evidence in psychological research supports each side, and the impact on these individuals, their families, as well as society has been very profound.

How can false sexual abuse accusations come about, take on momentum, and then destroy by tearing apart the lives of the innocent? forensic psychology says, false accusations of sexual abuse can happen to anybody. In investigating false accusations of sexual abuse in children, the typical situation in such a case stems from a vague and ill defined statement from a young child. In turn, adults misinterpret these remarks and come to the conclusion that their child had been sexually molested or abused. The child is then put through a series of interviews by authorities and tells them about events that never took place and there are severe psychological and legal reprecussions and consequences.

Are repressed memories fiction or fact? What kind of role does the therapist have when determining if these allegations are truthful? What weight should such “memories” be given when the law is prosecuting these claims of abuse? Experts look for answers that could affect hundreds and thousands of peoples lives.

Talk shows and courthouses are overcrowded with adults making allegations of sexual abusive as well as other types of abuse they supposedly experienced as children. Parents have been arrested and taken to court, even convicted and sent to prison over their children making claims that they were abused, several of which were based on “memories” that suddenly surfaced only after therapists applied dubious techniques and used suggestive therapy on these patients. In some of the cases, abuse really had occurred. But Alarmingly, in most of the cases, it didn’t.

Therapists emphatically disagree over the reliability of these types of “memories”. In Child Abuse cases (both sexual and physical) and False Memory Syndrome, psychiatrists, therapists, and researchers looking for answers are searching in these major areas: memory and the recovery of memories, childhood trauma, amnesia and repression, hypnosis, the power of suggestibility , ethical issues, research, and legal implications.

For the sake of everyone involved and the lives that are at stake, they hope to be able to soon uncover the truth