This site provides information about how some false beliefs about memory have seriously harmed the believers, their families and other innocent individuals. Because of the reconstructive nature of memory, some memories may be distorted through influences such as the incorporation of new information. They can result from the influence of external factors, such as the opinion of an authority figure or information repeated in the culture. An individual with an internal desire to please, to get better or to conform can easily be affected by such influences. The controversy is not about whether children are abused.
Child abuse is a serious social problem that requires our attention.
Neither is the controversy about whether people may not remember past abuse. The consequences profoundly affect the law, the way therapy is practiced, families and people's lives.