Are They Making it Up?
By Emma Toth
Have you ever seen a news article or blog talking about a case of sexual assault, but the survivor doesn’t have a clear memory of the event?
When this happens, there are usually people on both sides: those that believe the survivor made it up/exaggerated the event or those who believe and side with the survivor. So why isn’t there a clear-cut answer? It is easy to see how someone could take a sketchy-sounding story for lies. With such a serious accusation on the line, we need to know for sure. The issue is that people telling the truth are not believed because their story just doesn’t add up. Understanding how trauma and memory work together is the key to believing a story with holes.
The prefrontal cortex is the part of your brain that controls your attention. During a traumatic event, the individual goes into fight or flight mode, activating a fear response. When this happens, we can’t control what we pay attention to. Because of this, the amygdala (the part of the brain dealing with fear) is the new one in charge. Now the amygdala determines what is paid attention to. This is why some victims can vividly remember a distinct sound or smell, but maybe can’t remember the room they were in. The part of the brain needed for attention isn’t working, and the new part controlling attention is fueled by fear and stress, causing the individual to remember things that may not be considered “important.” In the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps encode information, our ability to encode information is inhibited. Central details are encoded but smaller details, the peripheral details, are not encoded. This leaves a fragmented memory of the event. When all of these conditions are happening at once, the memory created of the event is faulty, to say the least.
While the science of it might make sense, testimonials and stories are an easier read and add to the conversation. The Recovered Memory Project is a great resource to read about many stories dealing with trauma and “poor” memories. It was created to help educate about the debate of forgotten traumatic memories. The stories involve other traumatic events, not just sexual assault. All of the stories are there to inform and educate the public that traumatic memory is more than it seems.
It’s easy to see how a traumatic event can cause a fragmented memory. When at first their story seems like it has holes, it is actually parts of the brain overriding attention and directing it somewhere else. Knowing how memory works with trauma, it’s understandable how the victim might not remember the core details but can still be telling the truth. Of course, there are still people out there with deceptive motives who will lie about very serious trauma, such as sexual assault. But automatically disbelieving an individual about their trauma just because they don’t remember the full story isn’t how we should react.
Understanding trauma and memory is the key to bridge the gap between survivors and supporters. It’s understandable with such serious accusations, caution needs to take place, and the survivor’s story is a huge piece of the puzzle.
That’s why we need to educate others about traumatic memory when it comes to sexual assault cases. Because it is not all about he-said-she-said, there is a science to it. If you are a survivor, then you understand the importance of having confidence in your story. The way memory works is a huge part of that.
If you know a survivor or simply see a news story try this:
First, take time to understand the survivor and their story, keeping in mind what you’ve learned today. Second, explain to others the importance of understanding trauma and memory. Together we can continue to educate and stop the judgment of survivors. As a survivor myself, one of the hardest things to deal with is the memory of the event. Because of this stigma, I’ve questioned myself about the situation. I sometimes even wondered if I made it all up. After learning about trauma and memory, I was able to have confidence in my story. Victims deserve trust and giving that can make a difference in someone’s life. After all, it made a difference in mine.
Resources
About. (2015, March 13). Recovered Memory Project. https://blogs.brown.edu/recoveredmemory/about/
About the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline | RAINN. (2020). Rainn.Org. https://www.rainn.org/about-national-sexual-assault-telephone-hotline
Baddeley, A., Eysenck, M. W., & Anderson, M. C. (2015). Memory. New York, NY: Psychology Press. 2nd. Edition.
Lisak, J. H. A. D. (2014, December 9). Why Rape and Trauma Survivors Have Fragmented and Incomplete Memories. Time. https://time.com/3625414/rape-trauma-brain-memory/