>Open letters to the Washington Times as printed Jan. 27, 1998 >Letters to the Editor >The Washington Times >3600 New York Ave., N.E. >Washington, D.C. 20002 >To the Editor: >Suzanne Fields' column is replete with misinformation apparently culled >out of a False Memory Syndrome press kit ("The inexact science of the >human mind," Op-Ed, Jan. 19). Why has she avoided reporting on the >scientific research on traumatic amnesia for childhood sexual abuse? At >least, she could have noted the widespread disagreement of mainstream >practitioners with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Report. But the >real question is: Can a support group for parents accused of sexual abuse >(and in some cases convicted or held liable) ignore or suppress what the >scientific research actually says, substituting instead their own denial >as science? Apparently they can, and have even persuaded the media to help >them. >There is a hundred years of research on the "forgetting" or amnesia >associated with traumatic events such as combat, torture, natural >catastrophes, accidents, abuse and crimes. WWII produced some solid >documentation of dissociation and memory loss associated the trauma of >war. At least thirty-six recent studies demonstrate the phenomenon of >traumatic amnesia, and show that it is possible to accurately recall >suppressed memories of childhood sexual abuse. >Nevertheless, historical revisionism is alive and well, led by parents who >want to re-frame their son's and daughter's memories in an effort to blot >out what actually happened. Some families have reconciled by pretending >nothing happened or by blaming a therapist. The most courageous have faced >the past and themselves, forging new bonds based on empathy and >responsibility--the true qualities of caring parents. >In the future, I hope that Miss Fields is prepared to explore the wealth >of scientific research supporting traumatic amnesia, and address the >public health epidemic of child sexual abuse our country is facing. >Sherry A. Quirk >President and Counsel >One Voice: The National Alliance >for Abuse Awareness >Washington >>From Emily Samuelson, Ph.D.: [The Ph.D. was cut from the published letter] >Suzanne Fields' column "The inexact science of the human mind" was a very >irresponsible piece of journalism. Ignoring the facts about recovered >memory, she presented an inaccurate and biased view about a psychological >phenomenon that has a long, documented history. >None of us wants to believe that adults use children for sexual >gratification. But they do. Children who grow up being violated by adults >close to then cannot bear to feel the pain of such betrayal. Some children >develop dissociative defenses to protect themselves from the pain and to >allow themselves to continue surviving in an abusive environment. Although >some children cannot block out memories of abuse, it is common for those >who are repeatedly abused to forget the experiences until later in life. >Just ask the victims of former priest James Porter. Or Ross Cheit, the >Brown university professor whose delayed recall of sexual abuse resulted >in a successful lawsuit against his abuser. Or Marilyn Van Derbur Atler, a >former Miss America whose father sexually abused her throughout her >childhood. >Miss Fields should get information from clinical sources rather than the >self-serving rhetoric of advocacy groups made up of parents who have been >accused of abusing their children. Her inaccurate and inflammatory piece >has done disservice to the many victims of abuse who were silenced in >childhood. >Emily Samuelson >Baltimore >>From Sharon Rodgers Simone: >My dad abused all seven of his children. I didn't remember some of it >until my 40's. My sister and I sued him for childhood sexual, physical and >emotional abuse in 1990 and won a $2.3 million judgment. >It took a lawsuit; a $2.3 million jury award; a 20/20 ABC news segment, >"Incest: A Crime Never Forgotten"; a CBS television film, "Ultimate >Betrayal"; my getting federal legislation passed (Child Abuse >Accountability Act); and his nearly dying two years ago for him to stop >his denial. I stopped my denial, too. Dad had abused me and my sibling and >I told him so. It took guts to let go of the protection that denial had >offered me for years. >Two years ago, my father was dying and I visited him fro the first time in >16 years. He owned up and said he was not proud of what he had done. Shame >is a powerful inhibitor of truth. >I am proud of him. He stopped drinking the day he was served the lawsuit >papers and has stayed sober since 1989. From his hospital bed, he told me >the truth -- that he had been in denial. We cried together and held each >other -- father and daughter. >Recently, we were talking about a lawsuit I have against a powerful >insurance company fro its abusive insurance practices and I said, "Dad, >what kind of a daughter did you raise, anyway?" He answered, "I raised a >daughter who is not afraid to stand up for what she believes in and I'm >proud of you." If we each had not broken through our denial, we would not >have a relationship today. >Sharon Rodgers Simone >Belmont, Mass. >********************************************************* This section was >not included in the published version of the letter, but I (Eileen King) >am including it so that you can see how she completes her thoughts: >>Field's argument is all turned around, faced away from the center. Denial >is real. There is more denial running around unconfessed then all the >"repressed memories" put together in a heap. That's what we should be >talking about. The study of memory has its value, but in terms of >restoring families, denial is the nemesis we must confront. I have some >experience with that and some ideas about how to go about this on a >broader scale. While memory scientists continue to probe their molecular >frontiers, and others continue to invest in the fight about whose lying >and whose planting what where, I intend to continue to demonstrate that >hope has a longer half-life than brutality, with my life, wherever I go >and half others do the same. >>Sharon Rodgers Simone >>Belmont, MA 02178
