Incest: medical-legal perspectives

Abstract

Incest is a well-known phenomenon, defined as a sexual relationship between close blood relatives, usually between father-daughter, uncle-nephew and also brother-sister, or, in its broader sense, between a child and a stepparent or stepsibling. Incest is a taboo in many countries; however incest and sexual aggression toward minors are not classified as a criminal behaviour in all part of the world. Our study has the purpose to examine the legislator’s attitude towards this social phenomenon in expansion. Clinical Forensic approach to this phenomenon in literature is an essential contributory to explain the physical and psychological consequences; but it is yet certainly possible to ameliorate legal-medical procedures of investigation. We report the laws in force in different countries so to appraise the exact connotation of this crime in our country. The aim of this research is to take widest consciousness of the diffusion of this phenomenon in the health professionals and the difference of cultural approach in legal perspectives