Sexual Abuse Survivors and Memory Suppression

Abstract

Sexual abuse survivors experience complex psychological trauma that may affect how memories are stored, processed, retrieved, and expressed. Memory suppression—active or unconscious avoidance of traumatic recollections—can occur through dissociation, repression, fragmented encoding, or stress-induced neurological changes. This paper examines how trauma impacts autobiographical memory, the difference between repressed and dissociated memories, challenges in legal testimony, and therapeutic strategies to support safe recall. Using a hypothetical cross-national dataset, this research evaluates patterns of memory suppression among adult survivors in India, Australia, and the Netherlands. Findings indicate that emotional avoidance, shame, PTSD, and fear of social stigma are leading contributors to long-term memory disruption. A trauma-informed therapeutic model is proposed.