The Assault on Truth

by Jeffrey Masson

In 1896, Sigmund Freud presented his revolutionary “seduction theory,” arguing that acts of sexual abuse and violence inflicted on children are the direct cause of adult mental illness. Nine years later, Freud completely reversed his position, insisting that these sexual memories were actually fantasies that never happened. Why did Freud retract the seduction theory? And why has the psychoanalytic community gone to such lengths to conceal that retraction? In this landmark book, drawing on his unique access to formerly sealed and hidden papers, Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson dares to uncover the truth about this critical turning point in Freud’s career and its enduring impact on the theory and practice of psychoanalysis. The Assault on Truth reveals a reality that neither Freud nor his followers could bear to face. Bracing in its honesty, gripping in its revelations, this is the book that prompted Masson’s break with the psychoanalytic community—and launched his subsequent brilliant career as an independent thinker and writer.

Genres: Nonfiction

380 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Abby Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for a book club and expected it to be boring since psychology and Freud has never peaked my interest.

WOW. So much of western psychology today is built upon Freud’s work in the late 1890s and early 1900s. And we celebrate that WHILE COMPLETELY IGNORING the FACT that Freud’s rejection of the “seduction theory” involved covering up for parents who were sexually abusing CHILDREN (incest?!) and blaming it on the innocent children for lying. DESPITE the fact that Freud was present at autopsies for dead kids who were raped to death by family members. And despite the fact that some of these people who were working with Freud were sexually abusing their own kids!!! And when these kids bravely spoke up, rather than listening to the truth they claimed these kids were suffering from hysteria and needed treatment in mental facilities?!

Sick. Sick. Sick. Everywhere in society we are protecting pedofiles and it has to stop.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This should be required reading for high school students!

[Felicia Molano]

This isn’t just a book about Freud. It’s a book about what happens when uncomfortable truths get buried because they’re too costly to face.

Masson argues that Freud originally believed many psychological symptoms came from real childhood abuse and then retreated from that idea when it threatened the social order. In other words: lived suffering got reframed as fantasy. The system stayed comfortable. Victims didn’t.

That’s the part that stuck with me.

Whether or not every historical claim holds up, the moral question hits hard: Do we protect reputations and theories, or do we protect people?

From a faith lens, truth and human dignity go together. If someone says they were hurt, we don’t explain it away to keep things tidy. We tell the truth, even when it’s inconvenient.

The book is definitely opinionated and a bit prosecutorial, but it’s thought-provoking and gutsy. Not perfect scholarship, but an important challenge.

Worth reading if you care about trauma, psychology, and the courage to name what’s real.

[Earl Pike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently researched and well presented while altogether utterly disturbing. The fact that Freud, who is so well celebrated in psychotherapy essentially built his theories to protect pedophiles is heinous.

This should be required reading for all psychology students. In fact, understanding the theories that shape modern approaches to understanding behavior and conscientiousness should be core education. This serves to ‘poke holes’ in the established practices of psychology and serves to illuminate the problem of pedophilia.

[Allison Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never bought the Oedipus Complex. It seems completely whackadoodle to me and don’t understand why people take it as the gospel. I was horrified to read how Freud covered up rape and incest for years. I am more convinced the average man on the street knows more than any said expert.

[Jennifer Mulhall · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book evaluates Freud’s early ideas about how trauma took shape—and how his opinion later changed. The subject matter can be very heavy at times but the book is definitely a thought-provoking read especially for anyone who has a psychology background.

[Megan Meisberger · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly researched look into Freud's early "seduction theory" (the theory that a lot of neuroses are caused by sexual abuse in childhood, especially daughters by their fathers), and the strange circumstances surrounding the retraction of this theory. A monumentally important book.

[Cory Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was revealing about what went on with children that was unjust. I hate to say this is still going on today.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and so sad and frickin' rage-inducing. Cowards, the lot of them