Backlash

Landmarks in Child Abuse Prevention and Recovery
From Memory and Trauma by Charles Whitfield

For

Against

1866
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals founded

Children seen and treated as property
for centuries

1874
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children founded

Religious fundamentalism comes and goes, but is always a factor

1896
Freud and Janet believe their patients' histories of abuse and they improve("seduction-trauma theory")

1897
Freud's retraction of this theory due to external & his own internal intrapsychic pressure:"They made up the abuse." Since then most psychoanalysts have not

1940's
Early descriptions of the grieving process and of post-traumatic stress disorder

believed their patients' histories of abuse.

1946
Caffey reports x-ray film findings of physical trauma inflicted on children.

Continued resistance to recognizing much of our pain as "stuck grief" from the trauma.

1951-3
Silverman showed that this trauma was intentional.

20thC
The myth of "The Family" as always ideal and sacrosanct.

1962
Kempe et al describe the battered-child syndrome.

Resistence to these reports of trauma and laws against child abuse has been

1973
Laws against child abuse enacted

ongoing, and persists in numerous groups and individuals even today.

1977
First ACoA mettings

1977- to present-Psychiatry, and to some

1977-
81
Information on Freud's retraction made public by several analysts

extent other mental health professions, regress into a biological model to explain and treat human suffering.

1978
Alice Miller begins demystifying mental & emotional child abuse. Numerous books follow & expand this demystification.

1981
Backlash against the messengers of the information. However, this time many of the public and helping professionals found out.

1983
Recovery movement expands. Many helping professionals enter their own program of recovery.

1984
Victims of Child Abuse Laws (VOCAL) formed

1985
Increasing organizations (eg APSAC), information and education.

1989
Anti-recovery Movement backlash increases.

1994
American Coalition for Abuse Awareness.

1992
FMS Foundation begins;media focuses here more than on real memories and recovery.

	For		Against
1866	Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals founded		Children seen and treated as property for centuries
1874	Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children founded		Religious fundamentalism comes and goes, but is always a factor
1896	Freud and Janet believe their patients' histories of abuse and they improve("seduction-trauma theory")	1897	Freud's retraction of this theory due to external & his own internal intrapsychic pressure:"They made up the abuse." Since then most psychoanalysts have not
1940's	Early descriptions of the grieving process and of post-traumatic stress disorder		believed their patients' histories of abuse.
1946	Caffey reports x-ray film findings of physical trauma inflicted on children.		Continued resistance to recognizing much of our pain as "stuck grief" from the trauma.
1951-3	Silverman showed that this trauma was intentional.	20thC	The myth of "The Family" as always ideal and sacrosanct.
1962	Kempe et al describe the battered-child syndrome.		Resistence to these reports of trauma and laws against child abuse has been
1973	Laws against child abuse enacted		ongoing, and persists in numerous groups and individuals even today.
1977	First ACoA mettings	1977-	to present-Psychiatry, and to some
1977- 81	Information on Freud's retraction made public by several analysts		extent other mental health professions, regress into a biological model to explain and treat human suffering.
1978	Alice Miller begins demystifying mental & emotional child abuse. Numerous books follow & expand this demystification.	1981	Backlash against the messengers of the information. However, this time many of the public and helping professionals found out.
1983	Recovery movement expands. Many helping professionals enter their own program of recovery.	1984	Victims of Child Abuse Laws (VOCAL) formed
1985	Increasing organizations (eg APSAC), information and education.	1989	Anti-recovery Movement backlash increases.
1994	American Coalition for Abuse Awareness.	1992	FMS Foundation begins;media focuses here more than on real memories and recovery.