Sharing – New research challenges the idea that memories of childhood maltreatment can’t be trusted

I will admit that I’m one of those survivors who struggles with my memory when it comes to exact details of my abuse. On the other hand, I know for a fact that it happened, without the slightest hesitation, so maybe I’ve been wrong about this:

Society often doubts memories of childhood trauma, assuming emotions distort the past. However, a major new study reveals that survivors are highly reliable narrators, with accounts of abuse remaining remarkably stable over time.

New research challenges the idea that memories of childhood maltreatment can’t be trusted

The takeaway, of course, is that we should believe survivors when they talk about their trauma; they do know what they are talking about. Secondly, maybe we should stop trying to convince ourselves that young children will move past it and likely not even remember it when they’re an adult.

That’s not how trauma works.