CAN A CHECKLIST OF SYMPTOMS BE USED TO TELL IF SEXUAL ABUSE OCCURRED?
The recovered memory literature claims that many symptoms, in addition to flashbacks, body memories, and eating disorders, indicate past abuse. Thus, because of this literature, some therapists tell their patients that many behaviors — having headaches, getting tattoos, suffering from irritable bowels, showing high appreciation of small favors by others, or fearing dentists — prove past abuse. Others assert that wearing loose clothes (or wearing tight clothes), being unable to express anger (or being constantly angry), being afraid of sex (or being sexually compulsive), or taking risks (or not taking risks) all reveal past sexual mistreatment. In fact, psychologist Ray London (1995) compiled a list of over 900 different symptoms that had been claimed as proof of past abuse. When he reviewed the professional literature, he found that not one of the 900 symptoms reliably proved an abuse history. No checklist of signs or symptoms proves the occurrence of past sexual abuse.
