False Memory Syndrome Foundation: Public and Private Discrepancies 

Embraced research that argued CSA is not inherently traumatizing.

Worked to gut laws protecting children.

Key founders of the FMSF had dubious views on CSA, pedophilia, and childhood abuse.

Used the same suggestive interviewing techniques that they campaigned against.

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 study results.

Ignored ethical problems in their scientific advisory board.

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 children’s therapists.

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.

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.

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.

Minimized abuse in the name of keeping families together, against the wishes of accusing children.

Supported parents who vilified their own children.

Executive Director, Pamela Freyd, harassed her own daughter and undercut her professional career.

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.

Misconstrued cases and defended perpetrators who admitted guilt, or those whose victims had clear corroborating evidence.

Silenced those who disagreed with them.

Held one-sided conferences and events in support of the FMSF position.