ABSTRACT
Freud’s case of Dora, which was published in 1905, is considered an iconic case in psychoanalysis. Freud’s first published case was formulated to promulgate the importance of transference and the Oedipal complex. The case description revealed the presence of a sexual abuse trauma suffered by the teenage Dora (Ida Bauer), perpetrated by Herr K., a middle-aged male family friend. Yet, this issue of actual sexuality was neglected in Freud’s analysis in preference to his idea of the unconscious psychodynamic of the Oedipal drama being played out in Dora’s negative reaction to Herr K.’s sexual advances to her. Freud described two instances of sexual advances of Herr to Dora. But because he was so motivated to establish his Oedipal theory, he was “intellectually and emotionally blind” to the sexual trauma suffered by Dora. Freud’s interpretation was Herr K.’s sexual abuse of Dora was actually sexual stimulation by him, rather than traumatizing or emotionally intrusive. Ferenczi’s Confusion of Tongues is considered a more parsimonious, appropriate theoretical model for the case of Dora. Dora needed an acceptance of her actually being sexually traumatized. Trauma analysis was necessary to deal with the traumatic experience of being sexually abused by Herr K. She did not need to be forced to accept transference interpretations, which neglected her actual traumatic experiences.
