
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!
Is It ADHD or Trauma
By Caroline Miller When kids have behavior and attention issues in school, the first explanation that comes to mind is often ADHD. But exposure to trauma can also cause symptoms that [...]
Student Trauma Is Real. But Connection Can Heal.
By Gary G. Abud, Jr. As humans, we are hard-wired for connection with each other. When we face challenging life situations, we often seek out and lean on others. Relationships are [...]
Children, Teens Are in a ‘Mental Health State of Emergency,’ Child Health-Care Groups Warn
By Alyson Klein There’s been a quieter, parallel pandemic happening alongside COVID-19: a spike in significant mental health problems among young people, spurred by isolation, uncertainty, fear, and grief. Mental health [...]
Making the Connection: Trauma and Substance Abuse
Data from the most recent National Survey of Adolescents and other studies indicate that one in four children and adolescents in the United States experiences at least one potentially traumatic event before [...]
Helping immigrant children heal
Twenty years ago, Hami Torres fled Mexico at age 13, her 11-year-old brother in tow. Terrified, they trekked for hours with a group of older strangers through desert scrub that slashed Hami's [...]
What is test anxiety and how can we support students when they experience it?
As the first day of school approaches, parents and children gather their backpacks as educators finalize lesson plans and ready their classrooms. The new school year offers a fresh start for students [...]