Age and Time 

Few children have clear memories of anything they do not understand well enough to name. For those who experienced sexual activity when they were too young to comprehend it, to realize the abnormality or harmful impace of it, possibly even too young to know the name of all their body parts, the memories may be as murky as their understanding of what was happening at the time.    

Metro Article: A Survivor Recalls, "My Brother Made Me Play 'Naughty Exercises'--I Didn't Realise It Was Abuse"

 

Trauma 

People of all ages remember traumatic events in a different way than all other life experiences or learning. Memories of trauma tend to be

• Detached - The memory may emerge in ”snapshots” rather than “movies.”

• Sensory-based - The sounds, smells, and touch of the experience loom large, as well as bodily sensations such as nausea, sweaty palms, pressure or pain.

• Random - Some seemingly irrelevant details may be remembered, even if the person cannot remember more basic information. For example, someone may remember what they had to eat just before an episode of abuse, or thoughts that entered their head as it was happening, but not where they were at the time.

• Fragmented - Large parts of the memory may be absent, while other parts are remembered in vivid detail. 

• Recalled by sensory triggers - Traumatic memories may suddenly emerge in the context of a similar sensory sensation--hearing the sound of a similar door closing, or a smell that was present at the time of the abuse.