NCJ Number
138507
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1992) Pages: 219-228
Date Published
1992
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The phenomenon of male incest was explored in the same sample of 41 incarcerated serial rapists studied by Burgess et al. (1987).
Abstract
Fifteen rapists experienced childhood sexual abuse (penetration, exploitation, and/or witnessing) that was classified as incest (abuse by an immediate family member living in the home). Incestuous experiences were analyzed in terms of age of victim at first experience, length of first experience, sex of perpetrator, and type of abuse. Incest victims were compared with non-incest victims of sexual abuse to provide additional information about incestuous family environments and structures. Incest victims were more likely than non-incest victims to report parental physical abuse and to describe their childhood family structure at 16 years of age as reconstituted (step-parent present). In all cases in which the stepfather was implicated in the abuse, the abuse was of the witnessing variety, i.e., the boy witnessed sexual activity that he found disturbing. Incest victims were significantly more likely than non-incest victims to reenact sexually abusive behavior within the family. The victims were younger female siblings in all instances. Study findings suggest the need to direct more attention to clinical discoveries of sibling incest. 32 references