Legal Definitions - False Memory Syndrome Foundation

The False Memory Syndrome Foundation (FMSF) was an organization established to support individuals, primarily parents, who believed they had been falsely accused of childhood sexual abuse by their adult children. These accusations often arose after the adult children underwent therapy or other processes that led to the "recovery" of memories of abuse that had previously been repressed. The FMSF's mission was to provide resources and advocacy for those who claimed to be wrongly accused in such circumstances, based on the premise that these recovered memories might not always be accurate recollections of past events.

• Example 1: After Maria, an adult in her 40s, began therapy for chronic depression, she started recalling what she believed were repressed memories of abuse by her mother during her childhood. Her mother, deeply distressed and convinced she never harmed Maria, sought information and support from organizations like the FMSF, believing she was being wrongly accused based on potentially inaccurate recovered memories.

  Explanation: This illustrates a parent seeking aid from an organization like the FMSF because they believe they are falsely accused by an adult child whose memories of abuse emerged later, fitting the FMSF's core focus.

• Example 2: A prominent legal journal published an article discussing the challenges of using "recovered memories" as sole evidence in court cases involving alleged childhood abuse. The article referenced the FMSF's historical stance, highlighting their advocacy for caution and skepticism regarding such memories, and their support for individuals who claimed to be victims of false accusations stemming from them.

  Explanation: This example shows the FMSF's role in public discourse and advocacy, specifically concerning the reliability of recovered memories and the potential for false accusations, which is central to their mission.

• Example 3: When David's adult son accused him of abuse, stating that he had recently "remembered" incidents from his early childhood during a support group session, David's family was torn apart. David and his wife, certain the accusations were untrue, began researching support groups and legal resources for parents facing similar situations, eventually encountering the FMSF's materials which resonated with their belief that the memories might be inaccurate rather than genuine recollections.

  Explanation: This scenario directly reflects the FMSF's purpose: providing resources and a voice for parents who feel wrongly accused by adult children whose memories of abuse have surfaced later in life, and who question the veracity of those memories.