NCJ Number
246570
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 59 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2014 Pages: 255-259
Date Published
January 2014
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Paternal incest is one of the most serious forms of intrafamilial sexual abuse with clinical, social, and legal relevance.
Abstract
Paternal incest is one of the most serious forms of intrafamilial sexual abuse with clinical, social, and legal relevance. A retrospective study was performed, based on forensic reports and judicial decisions of alleged cases of biological paternal incest of victims under 18 years old n = 215 from 2003 to 2008. Results highlight that in a relevant number of cases: victims were female; the abuse begun at an early age with reiteration; the alleged perpetrator presented a history of sexual crimes against children; sexual practices were physically poorly intrusive, which associated with a forensic medical evaluation performed more than 72 h after the abuse, explain partially the absence of physical injuries or other evidencethese last aspects are different from extrafamilial cases. In conclusion, observations about paternal incest are likely to exacerbate the psychosocial consequences of the abuse and may explain the difficulty and delay in detect and disclose these cases. Few cases were legally prosecuted and convicted. Abstract published by arrangement with Wiley.