M.A.

by Helen Kitchen Branson, M.A.

INCEST ---A CONSISTENT SOCIAL TABOO

Incest among siblings has been forbidden by most known cultural groups, although a few primitive peoples have allowed such imbreeding on a sanctioned basis. The social acceptance of sexual relations among blood relatives (first cousins, uncles, aunts, sisters, brothers, natural fathers, mothers), has been a matter of legal control since the inception of the United States. 'In Europe, however, the marrying of cousins has not been at all uncommon, and the royal lines are testimony to the physical weaknesses which can result when closely related individuals intermarry on a consistent basis. It must be considered, of course, that the other extremes of unusual mental and physical ability are undoubtedly also encouraged by imbreeding, but the weaknesses which can result are far too great a risk for imbreeding among humans to be used as it is in dairy animals to increase the potentialities of certain desired characteristics.

Incest in American culture has come to mean any sexual stimulation or coitus between members of the same family, including the first cousins by blood. Aunts, uncles, step-fathers and others whose legal relationship is that of a trusted relative, even though they have no blood ties to the family member involved are also considered in violation of the incest taboo.

Because of the strength of the incest taboo in our culture, it carries a strong penalty and a very great social prejudice. Rather than being considered a crime of deliberate intent, and in some states may carry the death penalty if a child under fourteen years of age is involved.

The author of these remarks is certainly in favor of incest violators being apprehended and removed from the social situation where they can molest children; but the same as any other pedophilia problem, the perpetrator should receive adequate treatment rather than punishment.

Incest offenders have great difficulty in becoming rehabilitated in the prison setting; and even in the hospitals for sex offenders, they are not well accepted. 'At least I kept it out of my own family,' one man said to to me, and this seems to reflect the scorn of even other child molestors.

mattachine. REVIEW

Thus the incest violator has a grave problem in 'attempting to relate to anyone, and his needs for an accepting and tolerant counsellor perhaps motivate him more directly toward the therapeutic situation than might be the case among some other types of sexual deviates such as homosexuals where group acceptance forms a part of the emotional satisfactions gained.

The problem of his adjustment after release is even more difficult. It is the exceptional wife and mother, indeed, who can accept her husband back after such a violation of faith, and for this reason release of the incest offender is often delayed because there is no suitable place for him to make a home.

Usually, a lonely and emotionally inadequate person, the individual who has committed incest does not make friends' readily; he has usually been a lone wolf type. This may be expressed in any of several ways. Frequently he is a person who has been very domineering with his children. One reason that he has sought sexual intimacy within the family circle is because he is afraid of exposure if he molests those who are not under his control. He can, by threats or cajoling, control his own family members. These remarks apply particularly in cases where fathers or step fathers make sexual approaches to their own children.

In situations where older men seek sexual stimulation through molesting of the children in their households, the problem may have somewhat different dynamics. Here the feelings of sexual inadequacy and lack of potency are still present, but the choice of partners comes through af fectional ties rather than through needs to dominate and suppress.

It is the feeling in many quarters which deal with the rehabilitation of sex offenders, that many elderly men are accused and even convicted of crimes which they did not commit, and certainly adults in their attempts to protect children from the emotional or physical harm that can result from abnormal sexual interests, should be certain of the guilt of an individual before bringing him to the attention of authorities. A mere affectional gesture toward a child is not necessarily a sexual approach or interest.

The reasons for incest situations vary with the individuals involved. But whatever the reasons, any children involved should be protected from further sexual situations, and the offender should be offered treatment. If he will not accept the therapeutic approach, then he should be confined for custodial care rather than given a prison or jail sentence only to be released for further acts.

The problem of the step father and the step-daughter relationship appears to be the second most frequent situation for incest of a heterosexual type, according to California Sexual Deviation Studies, (Márch 1954, p. 59), particularly where the child participated in the act with co-