late.
CONCLUSION
In this volume we have taken a long look at a type of incest that very little has been written about; concentrating on the child as the aggressor in each instance. Despite the evidence in these case histories indicating the traumatic effects of incest, there are still two sides to the question.
In his book The Encyclopedia of Sexual Behavior, author William R. Reevy states:
Most of the literature giving information about the incidence and frequency of sexual approaches of adults to children concentrates on the female sex. In all probability this reflects the western cultural concern with the taboo of virginity as it relates to the female and is also indirectly an expression of the double standard of sexuality. Although there is no rational or factual reason for an increasing concern about this matter of sexual contacts of adults with children, there is still a widely held belief that all such contacts with the child are universally damaging to the personality, character, sexual adjustment, and future marital adjustment. Just as erroneous is the view of the frequency of such occurrences, which is equally exaggerated and irrational.
In the book Human Sexuality, by James L. Mc-Carey, it is stated that:
Many psychotherapists believe that the effects of actual incest involving a child are not so disastrous as are the effects of a parent's seductive behavior toward that child which never culminates in any manifest sexual activity. One theory is that the problem of unconscious incestuous desire may well underlie all cases of neuroses and psychoses, and that actual incest will not have such a deleterious effect upon the child since parental approval of the behavior is implicit. There will, therefore, be little residual effect on the part of the child, except later, perhaps, when he grows older and reads and listens to the opinions of others on the matter of incest.
These are two sides, two authorities stating that the effects of incest are generally not too detrimental to the child under certain stated conditions. But what of the children who become involved in an incestuous relationship that is not under the optimum setting? What of Sandy who is leading a life of lesbianism because of a perverse aunt when proper counseling, even after the traumatic shock of being forcibly raped, would probably have her leading an adjusted heterosexual existence at this time.
What of Linda, forced to live alone with a pedophile uncle who enjoyed administering spankings to her bare buttocks?
And Carol, now living as a prostitute?
All of the cases of incest illustrated in this volume, though instigated by the child, ended with the child growing up to lead a perverted, deviated life. That is, all but one who was able and willing to be helped to psychotherapy.
As shown by the narratives, all of the cases mentioned herein were brought about by the minor child. However, is it possible that with the proper environment and home life this would not have happened? The answer is yes. If a child grows up in an environment, or home, where there is no teaching of moral codes dealing with proper sexual behavior, or where there is no example set, how can that child grow up with the values and attitudes needed for a healthy adjustment?
In Sexual Behavior and the Law, Maurice J. Barry Jr., states:
A survey of case reports indicates that, in general, confusion, anxiety and guilt arise in almost all cases of consummated adult-child incest. In a survey of cases of the victims of pedophilia, including incest, Bender and Blau found minimal anxiety in the cases in which the child participant was preadolescent. In contrast, Sloane and Karpinski found serious personality repercussions in father-daughter incest with a high incidence of compulsive promiscuity. In a study of the fathers involved in incestuous relations with their daughters, Cormier, Kennedy and Sangowicz found severe reactive depression in all of these men after the incest had been discovered. The same authors stated that recidivism is rare among these fathers and that subsequent treatment frequently must be carried out as treatment for the entire family.
Case after case shows the destructive quality of incest, not only to the people directly involved, but to the entire family unit. Perhaps this was recognized and served as a main contributor in the taboo placed on incestual relations.
The next question to arise might conceivably be, "What type of environment breeds incest?" According to Kinsey the typical case seems to be a run-of-the-mill lower socio-economic level husband who, for reasons neither he nor we clearly understand, has an incestuous relationship, and having once begun continues it despite his fears and feelings of guilt. Perhaps these incestuous offenders are simply men whose self-control is adequate for simple situations but inadequate when they live with and have authority over a female of nubile or near nubile years. Other authors and researchers agree with Kinsey in that the incestual adult is of the lower socio-economic level (generally speaking), and go further to say that he is a drinker, frequently unemployed and at home with his children more than most fathers.
This may explain, or help to explain, an incestual relationship when instigated by the father, but not when it is initiated by the child. Research shows that incest of this nature is generally spawned in the same type of environment. Especially when living in this manner* a child is not given adequate direction, then becomes promiscuous because of her constant exposure to a permissive atmosphere. Many times, she will
be a member of a large family, forced to share the same bed with one or more siblings, which opens the way for incestual experience.
As can be readily seen, the reasons are many and varied and basically unimportant when compared with the question of what to do to help return to normal the victims of an incestual relationship. We know the causes. Now let's find the answers.