MAY 2000, VOLUME 28, NUMBER 1, Abstract 3
An Alternative View: Recovered Memories and the Australian Courts
Eilis S. Magner, University of New England
My first reading of Cam Perry’s paper “Vicissitudes of Memory: Falsification and False Memory Syndrome” served to remind me of the breadth of his knowledge of the field. I was also impressed by his command of the language. I say to remind me because I was present when Professor Perry presented a staff seminar at the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Law almost a decade ago and have been aware of his work in the field since that date.
On a second reading I focused on his themes, his context, and an undertone which I detected. The themes are the ethics of memory therapy, and the proper interaction between this therapy and the legal system. His context is the cultural history of sexual assault over the last century. His undertone is, unfortunately, misogynistic. The themes are important. The context is of interest and the undertone should be addressed. My conclusions differ from those that the author has drawn and I welcome the opportunity to discuss the issues.