Traumatic amnesia is a memory disorder experienced by some victims of violence, particularly sexual violence. This loss of memory related to the violent event is thought to be a defense mechanism of the brain to protect itself from the stress caused by the assault. People affected by this phenomenon can sometimes take several years before remembering the events, making it difficult to take legal action against their aggressor(s).
The graph above shows that 26 percent of victims with traumatic amnesia have buried their memories of sexual violence for more than 20 years.
Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode
Victims of childhood sexual abuse affected by a period of amnesia
Method of interview
Online Access Panel
Supplementary notes
The source adds the following information: "People who were raped or sexually assaulted before the age of 18 were considered victims of childhood sexual abuse."
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Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie. (October 3, 2019). Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/
Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie. "Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode." Chart. October 3, 2019. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/
Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie. (2019). Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode. Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/
Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie. "Proportion of People Who Were Sexually Abused as Children Who Experienced An Episode of Amnesia about The Abuse in France in 2019, According to The Duration of This Episode." Statista, Statista Inc., 3 Oct 2019, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/
Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie, Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Proportion of people who were sexually abused as children who experienced an episode of amnesia about the abuse in France in 2019, according to the duration of this episode [Graph], Association Mémoire Traumatique et Victimologie, October 3, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1246077/victims-childhood-sexual-abuse-amnesia-france-duration/
