Professor Christopher French provides a measured an illuminating commentary about the traumatic impact of historic sexual abuse allegations on the falsely accused. The article was originally published in the Guardian newspaper in 2009. Professor French is a member of the BFMS Advisory Board and a fellow of the British Psychological Society.
Everyone is aware of the frustration of inaccessible memories, when we cannot recall something that we wish to do, like finding a name, or recalling an event from childhood that must have occurred, or when we fail to recognise a person who appears totally unfamiliar until he proceeds to recount…
This article was first published in The Independent newspaper on 7 December 1995. It is worth re-visiting because it serves as a useful reminder of the harrowing experience of the falsely accused.
Amanda Cable, of the Daily Mail, has printed an excellent article on therapists’ roles on generating false memories in their patients. She covers several cases from multiple points of view.
An overview of the phenomena of false memories by Professor Christopher French, Professor of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London. Originally published on The Conversation website.
The Daily Mail has published an article linking false memory to the VIP paedophile scandal.
The Sunday Times (18 October 2015) published the following headline: ‘VIP sex cases link to false memory – Experts slam controversial therapy.’
Radio 4 are broadcasting an Analysis programme about the myth of Satanic Ritual Abuse:25 May 2015, 20:30. The programme will be available shortly after broadcast.
This news alert references an excellent article to put in someone’s hands to show how easily an eyewitness account can be mistaken.
Another extraordinary case has recently surfaced after a woman received psychotherapy and then claimed she recalled being raped 40 years previously. The jury rejected her accusations after hearing more of the background facts and of the extensive nature of the therapy she had been given.