Repressed Memories of Abuse
Can a memory be forgotten and then remembered?
These questions lie at the heart of the memory of childhood abuse issue. Experts in the field of memory and trauma can provide some answers, but clearly more study and research are needed. What we do know is that both memory researchers and clinicians who work with trauma victims agree that both phenomena occur. However, experienced clinical psychologists state that the phenomenon of a recovered memory is rare. Also, although laboratory studies have shown that memory is often inaccurate and can be influenced by outside factors, memory research usually takes place either in a laboratory or some everyday setting. For ethical and humanitarian reasons, memory researchers do not subject people to a traumatic event in order to test their memory of it. READ MORE HERE
Recommended Book:
“Repressed Memories: A Journey to Recovery from Sexual Abuse”
Rainn speaker , Renee Belinda Cooper opens up the understanding of repressed memories with child sexual assault. Most children will repress the memories of the attacks in one to ten days. And the memories tend to come back in adulthood with headaches and flashbacks (see part 1 and part 2 below):
---------------------------------------------By the time you finish reading this, 15 children will have been abused; In the next five minutes, 30 more; Within the next hour, 360 more; And by tonight, close to 8,000+ children will have suffered from abuse, 5 of which will die. Child abuse has increased 134% since 1980 and is now considered a worldwide epidemic. The high jump in child abuse deaths and the shocking increase in statistics highlights the frightening lack of public knowledge.
Educate Yourself -- Learn the Facts
It May Just Save a Child's Life!!
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Donna Says:
Responding to the question “Can memory be forgotten then remembered”. Speaking from experience as an abused child and in an abusive relationship, we NEVER forget. We try to put it behind us and want to forget, but are unable to. Being abused scars us forever, it is etched in our minds. There are many little things that trigger the memory and unfortunately, we begin to recall those aweful occurrences. It is very daunting, frustrating, depressing, and can fill us with anger.
I learned to take those horrible experiences and turn them into positive ones. I won’t allow myself to be the victim but rather the conquerer. I take all that negative energy and turn it into positive approaches by wanting to help others. I can’t stand seeing others hurt. That hurts me, I feel their pain but know at the same time, we can rise above it. However, we need others to reach out to us who genuinely care.
I am now 49 years of age and no longer am in an abusive situation and refuse to be a victim any longer. I know what it feels like as an adult to be so afraid to do anything about it and scared as a child who couldn’t do anything about it. But now I can.
In an effort to reach out to those in an abusive situation, whether it be an innocent child or an adult, I am going to college to get my BA in Sociology so that I can help others.
But please, don’t mistakle my efforts as forgetting the past because they are very real and fresh in my mind. They never go away. It’s what we do with those memories that either make us or break us.
To all those who are in an abusive relationship, you can rise above and let justice be served. You have a voice, you need to be strong enough to use it. There is always a way out.
Posted on April 20th, 2012 at 12:36 pm