As the policy analyst for a criminal justice consortium, it is my responsibility to suggest possible strategies for reducing the crime of incest in this country. With the aid of statistical data, we can determine the patterns of an incestuous behavior in order to eliminate it from the future. We begin by defining incest and discuss all pertinent areas that can aid in a respective solution.
What is Incest?
Incest is defined as sexual contact or marriage between family members; an incestuous relationship can occur between (1) mother- son, (2) father-daughter, (3) stepfather-daughter, (4) brother-sister, or another combination following the same principle. Incest can occur between people in a consanguineous relationship, people who blood related; or between people who are related by affinity, which are step-relatives, adoptive relatives, or members of the same household or lineage (Hamamy, 2012).
There are laws that differ from state to state regarding what constitutes incestuous offenses; those are considered to be child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and rape. Irrespective of state laws, any unsolicited sexual interaction from a family member can have long-term effects on the victim (RAINN: Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network, 2009) (Gilgun, 1995). Father-daughter incest is acknowledged …show more content…
Researchers suggest that patterns of sexual abuse and incestuous relations arise when parents have too been sexually assaulted during their childhoods. A mother with an unsettled past of incest with her own father or brother may make her incapable of stopping an incestuous relationship between her daughter and husband, or cause an incestuous relationship between herself and her son (Courtois, 1988, p. 42). By understanding this pattern, a parent can or outsider can be more in-tune with actions taken by the children or