U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Misinformation Concerning Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Survivors

NCJ Number
196522
Editor(s)
Charles L. Whitfield M.D., Joyanna Silberg Ph.D., Paul Jay Fink M.D.
Date Published
2001
Length
237 pages
Annotation
This book compiled by the Leadership Council for Mental Health, Justice and the Media (LC) offers a series of edited articles from professionals in the scientific, forensic, and clinical fields addressing and attempting to correct the misinformation concerning child sexual abuse/maltreatment and the long-term effects experienced by adult survivors of such abuse.
Abstract
In this edited collection of scholarly articles, the facts about child sexual abuse and adult survivors of CSA are confronted by professionals in the scientific, forensic, and clinical fields in order to counter the widespread misinformation and half truths spread by special interest groups, such as the media, overshadowing the dissemination of accurate information. The articles address such myths as “false memory syndrome,” “recovered memory therapy,” and the “lack of harm” to certain boys due to child sexual abuse. The goal is to draw attention to those areas in need of more research and provide suggestions to clinicians treating clients who have been abused as children and ensure information is released in an accurate and objective manner. The book is divided into three sections: (1) misinformation/disinformation about child sexual abuse; (2) forensic issues; and (3) long-term effects of child sexual abuse and clinical implications. References