Memories of Sexual Betrayal

by Richard B. Gartner

In this comprehensive volume the repressed memory controversy is explored by leading clinicians in a discussion free of the accusatory tone that has often dominated the literature to date. The perspectives presented include an overview of neurological research on the encoding of memory, a feminist critique of the frenzy surrounding the current debate, and an exploration of the social taboos that still hamper objective discussion of child abuse. The issues raised on both sides of the "false memory" debate cut to the heart of psychotherapeutic practice. The possibility of falsely implanted memories raises questions about the very nature of truth as it is discovered in the therapeutic setting, questions that must be addressed by all clinicians.