See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/337672332

Incest

Chapter · December 2019

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1996-1

CITATIONS READS

2 8,180

2 authors:

Sujita Kumar Kar Rajanikanta Swain

King George's Medical University AIIMS Bhubaneswar
628 PUBLICATIONS 6,961 CITATIONS 33 PUBLICATIONS 165 CITATIONS

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

All content following this page was uploaded by Rajanikanta Swain on 28 July 2020.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

I
Incest
Sujita Kumar Kar1 and Rajanikanta Swain2
1
Department of Psychiatry, King George’s
Medical University, Lucknow, India
2
Department of Forensic medicine & toxicology,
SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India
Synonyms
Consanguineous sexual relationship
Definition
It is defined as the sexual activity between
individuals who are genetically related.
Introduction
Incest is considered a taboo sexual activity. Incest
is derived from Latin word incestus which means
unchaste. It is defined as “any sexual activity
between close blood relatives who are forbidden
by law to marry” (Kellogg 2005). The Cambridge
English Dictionary also defines incest as “sexual
activity involving people who are closely related
and not legally allowed to marry” (Dictionary
2017). It is a worldwide neglected social issue
both in developed and developing countries. As
per a recent data from developing countries like
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
T. K. Shackelford, V. A. Weekes-Shackelford (eds.), Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1996-1
India, nearly three out of ten registered cases of
rape are due to incest, and it follows an increasing
trend (Verma et al. 2017). Considering its rising
trend, importance, and impact on the society,
WHO classifies it as a silent health emergency
(Organization 2004) and is underreported because
of social taboo.
Incest: A Journey Through History
Incest is declared as “prohibited degree” of rela-
tionship from Biblical period. There is a bidirec-
tional relationship between incest avoidance
behavior and taboo. Incest is discouraged and
forbidden; hence, people avoid incest, which
may give rise to taboo related to incest. On the
other hand, because there is taboo associated with
incest, people avoid incest (Wolf 2015). Incest
carries many social disadvantages (e.g., breach
in social harmony, sexual abuse, role-relational
confusion, and cultural violation); hence, taboos
are created against incest (Wolf 2015). Freudian
belief was centered around spontaneous inclina-
tion of human to indulge sexually within
the family, though it was strongly criticized
by many researchers (Wolf 2015). Incestuous
characters also appear in mythology in all ancient
cultures worldwide (Oosten 2015; Serrano
and Gunzburger 1983). These mythological
incestuous relationships are depicted in the con-
text of disastrous outcomes, which might have
propagated taboo with incest.
2 Incest

Westermarck’s hypothesis contradicted the Risk Factors for Incest

concept given by Sigmund Freud. Westermarck
postulated that children, who grow together in There are many risk factors that may encourage
close association, often develop aversion to sexual incestuous behavior. Early evidence support that
contact among themselves as they become adult overcrowding at home setting might result in
(Morehead 1999). It maintains the integrity of breach in family member’s personal privacy,
the family and act as a protective barrier against which may increase the risk of incest (Weinberg
incestuous sexual contacts among siblings. 1955). Incest aversion refers to negative attitude
and feelings of an individual toward an incestuous
relationship (Antfolk 2014). It has been believed
that incest aversion has an important role in self-
Incest: Current Status Across the Globe
regulation and prevention of incest (Antfolk
2014). Incest aversion is stronger among
Incestuous relationship may be consensual or
the siblings if they are of opposite gender
non-consensual. Non-consensual incestuous
(brother-sister) than if they are of the same gender
relationship amounts to rape. Victims of incest
(sister-sister or brother-brother) (Holanda Júnior
may not pursue legal or retributive actions against
2017). Similarly females are less incestuous than
the family because of fear, helplessness, negative
males due to higher incest aversion (Holanda
attitude, and stigma toward him or her (Fontes and
Júnior 2017).
Plummer 2010; Yildirim et al. 2014).
Incestuous relationships between fathers and
Incestuous relationship between parent-
daughters may be seen in families where fathers
children and among siblings is prohibited legally
used to have a strong authoritative role and the
as well as socioculturally, worldwide (Holanda
mother is absent or having significant disability as
Júnior 2017). In England and other Western
a result of which daughter is playing the role of
countries, it is regarded as a cognizable offense.
mother (Herman 1981).
Both men and women, above the consenting age,
are punishable according to law, even if there is
consent. In India, however, incest per se is not an
Impact of Incest
offense. Police can take cognizance of such cases
only when the offense can be charged under
Women who had history of incest are more likely
Section 376 (rape), 497 (adultery) Indian Penal
to develop poor self-esteem and often have diffi-
Code, or under the provisions of POCSO
culty in close relationships (Herman 1981).
(Protection of Children from Sexual Offences)
Incestual practice between an adult and their
Act (Modi 2011). In the current society, some
child is usually considered a form of child sexual
incestuous relationships are socially sanctioned
abuse and may lead to development of sexual
in certain regions, which results in consanguine-
dysfunction, depression, anxiety disorder, sub-
ous marriages. Consanguineous marriages are still
stance abuse, borderline personality disorder,
prevalent in parts of Africa, Asia, and Middle
and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in
East. Across the globe, approximately 10%
later part of life. Incestuous relationship results
of children are born from parents with
in inbreeding, which has various health hazards
consanguineous marriage (Maguire et al. 2018).
because the expression of otherwise recessive
Consanguineous marriages more commonly
alleles, due to homozygous states, might cause
happen between cousins (Hamamy 2012).
development of complex diseases and reduction
Among other types of incestuous relationships,
in longevity (Rudan et al. 2003). Evidences sup-
incest between father-daughter is reported to be
port increased mortality of children born from
most common followed by incest between
consanguineous marriages (Rudan et al. 2003).
brother-sister, sister-sister, and mother-son
Consanguineous marriage also increases the risk
(Sariola and Uutela 1996).
of recurrent pregnancy loss, stillbirths, early death
of child, X-linked disorders, autosomal dominant
Incest
disorders, mental retardation, as well as limb
abnormalities (Shawky et al. 2013). The children
born from incest are often at risk of developing
rare recessive disorders like homocystinuria,
congenital ichthyosis, deaf-mutism, retinitis
pigmentosa, glycogen storage disease, cystic
fibrosis, and progressive cerebellar degeneration.
They are also at high risk of developing congenital
organ malformations (Super 1981).
Incestuous relationship during childhood is
often a traumatic experience that adversely affects
the mental well-being. The cognitive behavioral
and other psychotherapeutic interventions for
the victims of incestuous abuse focus on under-
standing the traumatic stress, psychodynamics,
concept of self, as well as the relational aspects
with the perpetrator (Courtois 1997).
Conclusion
Due to taboo, incest often goes unnoticed
and underreported, even though it is equally
traumatizing like any other sexual crime. When
it is socially sanctioned and resulting from
consanguineous marriage, it is important to
look for the health of the progeny born from the
incestuous relationship.
Cross-References
▶ Consanguineous Breeding
▶ Endogamy
References
Antfolk, J. (2014). Incest aversion: The evolutionary roots
of individual regulation. Psykologi; Institutionen för
psykologi och logopedi; Åbo Akademi. Åbo, Finland.
Courtois, C. A. (1997). Healing the incest
wound: A treatment update with attention
to recovered-memory issues. American Journal of
Psychotherapy, 51(4), 464–496. https://doi.org/
10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.1997.51.4.464.
Dictionary, C. (2017). Cambridge advanced learner’s
dictionary & thesaurus. Obtenido de http://dictionary.
cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gourmet.
3
Fontes, L. A., & Plummer, C. (2010). Cultural issues in
disclosures of child sexual abuse. Journal of Child
Sexual Abuse, 19(5), 491–518. https://doi.org/
10.1080/10538712.2010.512520.
Hamamy, H. (2012). Consanguineous marriages: Precon-
ception consultation in primary health care settings.
Journal of Community Genetics, 3(3), 185.
Herman, J. (1981). Father–daughter incest. Professional
Psychology, 12(1), 76–80. https://doi.org/10.1037/
0735-7028.12.1.76.
Holanda Júnior, F. W. N. (2017). Incest avoidance and
prohibition: Psychobiological and cultural factors.
Psicologia USP, 28(2), 287–297.
Kellogg, N. (2005). The evaluation of sexual abuse in
children. Pediatrics, 116(2), 506–512.
Maguire, A., Tseliou, F., & O’reilly, D. (2018).
Consanguineous marriage and the psychopathology
of progeny: A population-wide data linkage study.
JAMA Psychiatry, 75(5), 438–446.
Modi, R.B.J.P. (2011) A textbook of Medical Jurispru-
dence and Toxicology. 24th edition. Wadhwa, Nagpur:
Lexis Nexis Butterworths.
Morehead, D. (1999). Oedipus, Darwin, and Freud: One
big, happy family? The Psychoanalytic Quarterly,
68(3), 347–375.
Oosten, J. G. (2015). The war of the gods (RLE Myth): The
social code in Indo-European mythology. Routledge;
New York.
Organization, W. H. (2004). Child sexual abuse: A silent
health emergency. Report of the regional director for
Africa. Brazzaville: World Health Organization.
Rudan, I., Rudan, D., Campbell, H., Carothers, A.,
Wright, A., Smolej-Narancic, N., . . . Deka, R. (2003).
Inbreeding and risk of late onset complex disease.
Journal of Medical Genetics, 40(12), 925–932.
Sariola, H., & Uutela, A. (1996). The prevalence and
context of incest abuse in Finland. Child Abuse &
Neglect, 20(9), 843–850.
Serrano, A. C., & Gunzburger, D. W. (1983). An
historical perspective of incest. International
Journal of Family Therapy, 5(2), 70–80. https://doi.
org/10.1007/BF00924434.
Shawky, R. M., Elsayed, S. M., Zaki, M. E.,
Nour El-Din, S. M., & Kamal, F. M. (2013).
Consanguinity and its relevance to clinical
genetics. Egyptian Journal of Medical Human
Genetics, 14(2), 157–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.
ejmhg.2013.01.002.
Super, M. (1981). Children born as a result of incest.
British Medical Journal (Clinical Research Ed.),
282(6269), 1072.
Verma, A., Qureshi, H., & Kim, J. Y. (2017). Exploring the
trend of violence against women in India. International
Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice,
41(1–2), 3–18.
Weinberg, S. K. (1955). Incest behavior. In Incest
behavior. Secaucus: Citadel Press.
Wolf, A. P. (2015). Incest prohibition, origin and evolution
of. In J. D. Wright (Ed.), International encyclopedia
4 Incest

of the social & behavioral sciences (2nd edn,
pp. 730–731). https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-
097086-8.81054-5.
Yildirim, A., Ozer, E., Bozkurt, H., Ozsoy, S., Enginyurt,
O., Evcuman, D., . . . Kuyucu, Y. E. (2014). Evaluation
of social and demographic characteristics of incest
cases in a university hospital in Turkey. Medical
Science Monitor: International Medical Journal of
Experimental and Clinical Research, 20, 693–697.
https://doi.org/10.12659/MSM.890361.

View publication stats