Unreliable Repressed Memories: Avoiding False Evidence in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

Abstract

Paper Outline Introduction The use of repressed and recovered memory in child sexual abuse cases is a controversial topic Children are likely to repress the memory of traumatic events such as sexual abuse Problems with the memory, creation of false memories during intervention, and lack of evidence to back their usefulness makes recovered memories unreliable and should not be presented as evidence in court. Problems with memory Memories of traumatic experiences especially among children are repressed and pushed from consciousness The therapists have argued that repressed memories could be recovered in adulthood and accurately provide evidence in assault cases However clinical scientists contest this argument and demonstrate the need to avoid relying on such memories in court procedures There is no evidence that the information available from repressed and recovered memory could be used as evidence in court False memories may be created during the care of victims and therapeutic intervention Children experiencing sexual abuse undergo traumatic events with significant effects on their social life They require intervention but such care affects their memory of the events essential in child abuse cases During the intervention process, details of the abuse and the relationship between the victim and perpetrator change in a child’s memory Relying on such information for criminal procedures is misleading and has the potential to affect the evidence brought before the court There is lack of evidence on concepts of recovered memory There is need to ensure that the information use to prosecute perpetrators of abuse is accurate and reliable The child’s memory of the events could facilitate the prosecution process and aid in bringing sexual abuse perpetrators to justice However, the sensitivity of this cases require evidence to back the type of evidence used in the court No such evidence backed by data is available to show...