Incest: Difference between revisions

Browse history interactively ← Previous edit Next edit →Content deleted Content addedVisual WikitextInline

Revision as of 09:22, 19 August 2002 editSlrubenstein (talk \| contribs)30,655 edits reverting, see talk← Previous edit		Revision as of 10:38, 19 August 2002 edit undoVicki Rosenzweig (talk \| contribs)Extended confirmed users6,781 edits adoptive and step-parentsNext edit →
Line 1:		Line 1:
	''Incest'' refers to sexual relations between genetically close family members, such as brother and sister or parent and child. Incest is a criminal offence in most countries, as well as being against most modern religions. The term is also sometimes used metaphorically, to describe relationships between an authority figure and a pupil, such as teacher-student or troop leader and scout.		''Incest'' refers to sexual relations between genetically close family members, such as brother and sister or parent and child; it is often extended to include adoptive and step-siblings and parents. Incest is a criminal offence in most countries, as well as being against most modern religions. The term is also sometimes used metaphorically, to describe relationships between an authority figure and a pupil, such as teacher-student or troop leader and scout.

	The description and analysis of incest, and beliefs concerning incest, are complicated by the fact that the definitions of "close family member" and "sex" vary widely across cultures. For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry.		The description and analysis of incest, and beliefs concerning incest, are complicated by the fact that the definitions of "close family member" and "sex" vary widely across cultures. For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry.

Revision as of 10:38, 19 August 2002

Incest refers to sexual relations between genetically close family members, such as brother and sister or parent and child; it is often extended to include adoptive and step-siblings and parents. Incest is a criminal offence in most countries, as well as being against most modern religions. The term is also sometimes used metaphorically, to describe relationships between an authority figure and a pupil, such as teacher-student or troop leader and scout.

The description and analysis of incest, and beliefs concerning incest, are complicated by the fact that the definitions of "close family member" and "sex" vary widely across cultures. For example, Trobriand Islanders prohibit both sexual relations between a man and his mother, and between a woman and her father, but they describe these prohibitions in very different ways: relations between a man and his mother fall within the category of forbidden relations among members of the same clan; relations between a woman and her father do not. This is because the Trobrianders are matrilineal; children belong to the clan of their mother and not of their father. Thus, sexual relations between a man and his mother's sister (and mother's sister's daughter) are also considered incestuous, but relations between a man and his father's sister are not. Indeed, a man and his father's sister will often have a flirtatious relationship, and a man and the daughter of his father's sister may prefer to have sexual relations or marry.

In most of the Western world incest generally refers to forbidden sexual relations within the family. Incest is most frequently engaged in by parents of both sexes and their children. And while it is usually perceived as an act engaged in by a father and his daughter, this is yet another myth surrounding the practice. Historically, the most important forms of incest were maternal incest (see also Oedipus complex). And while surveys do not indicate a high rate of maternal incest, this can be seen as a reflection of the difficulty of collecting information about illegal sexual acts with children rather than its rare occurrence.

It is widely, but by no means universally, agreed that incest by parents is abuse and should be illegal. Some societies, notably India in the 1920s, consider incest an inescapable fact of life. In many societies some forms of sexual contact between close family members is socially (and sometimes even publicly) encouraged. For example, in Bali it was encouraged for mothers to sexually stimulate infants. This practice, among many others, is also common among primitive tribes in Papua New Guinea, Polynesian and Melanesian islands. It is also common among the Japanese who claim to have no Oedipal complex "because the father is no competition" to the son.

Examples of incest in mythology are rampant. Zeus and Hera are brother and sister as well as husband and wife. They were the children of Cronus and Rhea who were also brother and sister as well as husband and wife.

Finally, there is also the much rarer phenomenon of consensual incestuous relations between adults, such as between an adult brother and sister. This is illegal in most places, but these laws are sometimes questioned on the grounds that such relations do not harm other people (provided the couple have no children) and so should not be criminalised. Artificial insemination and distant adoption have compounded these problems. There are known cases of people having romances, or even marrying, only to later find out they are closely related.

Adult incest has been notable in royal dynasties, presumably to keep the bloodline "pure". Although the marriage unions were often not consensual, with young adults or children forced to marry close relatives, this does not imply the sex was non-consensual. Best known for this practice, which included brother-sister marriages, are the dynasties of Ancient Egypt.