"Recovered memory of a single incident is plausible, but years of abuse cannot be repressed and recovered."
“Robust repression… capable of stealing away from awareness knowledge of decades-long abuse and brutalization… remains utterly unsupported.” - Richard Ofshe, in the FMSF Newsletter. [1]
“Could people completely forget years of traumatic events such as rape, only to recall them later? … "massive repression" is probably not a human capacity.” - Mark Pendergrast, in the FMSF Newsletter. [2]
Refutation
Citations
[1] Ofshe, R., & Watters, E. (1994). Making monsters: False memories, psychotherapy, and sexual hysteria (pp. x, 340). Charles Scribner’s Sons/Macmillan Publishing Co.
[2] Pendergrast, Mark. (2003, November/December). Recovering from Recovered Memories. FMS Foundation Newsletter. 12(6), 6.
[3] Bower, Bruce. (1993, September 18). Sudden recall: adult memories of child abuse spark a heated debate. Science News 144(12) 184-86.
[4] Fields, R. (1992, July 25). Witness Says She Felt Confusion and Guilt; Memory of Sex Abuse Comes Back by Observing Daughter, Court is Told. Akron Beacon Journal.
[5] Pfiefle v. Hustwaite. (1991). Shepard’s/McGraw-Hill, Verdicts, Settlements & Tactics.
[6] Morrison, C. (1995, April 15). Lawsuit Accusing WNC priest of child sex abuse settled. Asheville Citizen-TImes.