Incest as a Form of Family Violence: Evidence from Historical Case Records

Incest as a Form of Family Violence: Evidence from Historical Case Records

Findings on incest from a historical study of family violence in the Boston area from 1880 to 1960 corroborate some of the findings of recent clinical studies on incest, notably concerning its frequency and the predominance of father-daughter incest as a social problem. The historical cases also suggest that such incest is usually coercive, thus appropriately considered a form of family violence. Comparison of incestuous families with those experiencing other forms of family violence shows that the former are by no means more stressed, nor the individuals in them more pathological; and that incest victims are no more willing participants than are child victims of nonsexual abuse.

Social Sciences (miscellaneous), Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous), Anthropology