False Memory Syndrome Foundation: Public and Private Discrepancies
These pages highlight the inconsistent and troubling messaging of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF), comparing public statements about the goals of the organization to what the FMSF actually did.
What FMSF Said They Did
Believe Victims of ‘Real cases’ Childhood Abuse, and Support Efforts to Put an End to Abuse.
What FMSF Actually Did
Key founders of the FMSF have dubious views on CSA, Pedophila, and childhood abuse.
Embraced Research that Argued CSA is not inherently traumatizing
Worked to Gut Laws Protecting Children
What FMSF Said They Did
Conduct Research as a Scientific Organization
What FMSF Actually Did
Produced Negligible Peer Reviewed Science
Wildly exaggerated their membership and reports of “documented cases of false memory” by various measures
Held a Double standard for “evidence”
Ignored Conflicting Results
Ignored ethical problems in their scientific advisory board
What FMSF Said They Did
Support Victims In Getting Help From ‘Real’ Therapists
What FMSF Actually Did
Discredit therapy as a whole, supporting legislation that gutted therapeutic confidentiality and challenged basic therapeutic principles.
Lead Targeted Harassment Campaigns against Therapists, and Encouraged Families to Harass their Daughter’s Therapist.
Encouraged Third Party Lawsuits against Therapists
Exaggerated the presence and negative impact of therapists in recovered memory cases.
Coined and targeted “Recovered Memory Therapy:” a practice that didn’t exist.
What FMSF Said They Did
Focused on False Memory Cases, not daycare abuse cases.
What FMSF Actually Did
Discussed and Supported those Accused in Daycare Abuse Cases.
Conflated Daycare and Recovered Memory Cases
Helped organize conferences about daycare abuse and invited convicted perpetrators to speak.
What FMSF Said They Did
Invited external review to verify their ‘documented cases’ of false memory syndrome.
What FMSF Actually Did
Lacked a standard documentation procedure: did not require volunteers to record details about ‘documented cases.’
Kept cases reported to them anonymous and never submitted to external review.
What FMSF Said They Did
Had no legislative agenda and refrained from lobbying
What FMSF Actually Did
Internally distributed an instructional packet on lobbying to FMSF members
Created a secondary lobbying organization headed by FMSF staff members to introduce legislation
Campaigned against multiple laws protecting victims of childhood abuse