Beyond the Recovered Memory Wars

Abstract

The childhood sexual abuse narrative that is currently available to those looking to make sense of, understand or improve their lives is based largely on an understanding of CSA which allows for evidence or symptoms, in the form of ‘recovered’ or ‘alternative’ memories, to be identified in the lives of formerly abused women. This book explores how women construct and make use of their own life stories or narratives of CSA, the majority of which are based on recovered or alternative memories of having been sexually abused in childhood. However, in order to explore women’s narratives of CSA it is necessary to look first at what has come to be known as the ‘recovered memory wars’. This is not because I wish to establish the ‘truth’ or ‘falsity’ of women’s stories but rather to illustrate how the telling of such stories might come about and how the emergence of stories based on recovered memories have influenced the telling of other CSA recovery stories.

Almost any problem or behaviour can be seen as a symptom of abuse, just as most any problem, behaviour, or perception can be said to be a memory of abuse.

(Ofshe and Watters 1995:85)