By David M. Allen, M.D.
One of the things that child abuse deniers like the False Memory Syndrome Foundation focus on, besides child abuse apologist Elizabeth Loftus’s irrelevant arguments about the unreliability of memory (more on that at the end of the post), is the fact that many adults who claim to have been victims of incest as children did not tell any other adults about it at the time the alleged incidents took place.
Some children do tell. So why wouldn’t the others?
May logical-sounding explanations have been advanced to explain why not. In an article in the December 2010 issue of Psychiatric Times, Richard Kluft lists several of them: incomprehension, shame, fear of retaliation, and the misperception that the child is to blame. He also mentions loyalty conflicts, but more on that shortly.
Share This Post!
Essential Elements of a Trauma-Informed Juvenile Justice System
NCTSN Trauma-informed policies and procedures make juvenile justice organizations safer and more effective by ensuring the physical and psychological safety of all youth, family members, and staff and promoting their recovery [...]
How Childhood Trauma Can Impact the Brain
Written by Kaytee Gillis, LCSW A recent study published in Biological Psychiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging finds that childhood trauma can lead to disruptions in two main regions of the brain, the default mode network (DMN) and [...]
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Missed Diagnosis
National Institute of Health Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently under-diagnosed in maltreated samples. Protective services information is critical for obtaining complete trauma histories and determining whether to survey PTSD symptoms [...]
Types of Therapy for Childhood Trauma Explained
Medically reviewed by Akilah Reynolds, PhD — Written by Mandy French on August 30, 2023 Childhood trauma can affect people in various ways. There are many therapy options to help treat the effects of this trauma. A [...]
The Intersection of Childhood Trauma and Addiction
By Shannon Karl Substance dependence leads to persistent negative consequences and the loss of human potential. These consequences often include chronic health problems, dysfunctional family environments, harmful economic impacts and premature [...]
Helping Children and Adolescents Cope With Traumatic Events
By National Institute of Mental Health Every year, children and adolescents experience disasters and other traumatic events. Family, friends, and trusted adults play an essential role in helping youth cope with [...]