Incest is defined as human sexual behaviour between family members or blood relations; having sexual intercourse with a parent, child, brother, or grandchild is a felony.
Sexual conduct involving persons in consanguinity (blood ties), and sometimes those linked through affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption, or lineage, is often included.
The taboo against incest is one of the most ubiquitous of all cultural taboos, both in modern and historical communities. Most modern cultures have incest laws or societal constraints on tightly consanguineous marriages. Consensual adult incest is viewed as a victimless crime in nations where it is banned.
Some societies, albeit with varying degrees of severity, extend the incest taboo to relatives with no consanguinity, such as milk-siblings, step-siblings, and adopted siblings.
Fathers are the most common offenders of incest, often perpetuating the horrible crime at home, which is meant to be the safest place for a daughter.
According to statistics from the national hotline 1195 for the period January 2018-June 2021, 59 of the 160 incest instances recorded in Kenya over the last three years were perpetrated by fathers, the majority of which occurred at home
Uncles are the second most common incest perpetrators, accounting for 36 percent of all instances, followed by stepfathers cousins , and grandfathers
Brothers committed seven incest incidents, while brothers-in-law committed five. In one example, a stepbrother had incestuous relations with a female.
Approximately 15 000 South African minors under the age of 18 were raped in the previous year, according to police records. Authorities in South Africa have warned that 50 percent of all occurrences of rape and sexual assault on minors under the age of 18 are committed inside the immediate family.
Child rights advocates, sociologists, attorneys, and clergy have highlighted important causes contributing to the rise of incestuous relationships in Nigeria.
Lack of traditional family values, moral decadence, shattered households, emotional imbalance, and a shift in family roles as a result of poverty and ignorance are some of the causes recognized as contributing to the growth of incest in Nigeria.
Economic difficulty and a shift in women’s roles are other contributing causes, as fewer women now remain at home and care for their children. In our culture, the penetration of Western ideas and bad attitudes is also a promoter of incest.
According to research, the majority of these instances, even when reported, are resolved out of court, which may explain why we don’t have adequate statistics on incidents of incest.
Incest is outlawed for scientific grounds. It is to avoid inbreeding, which is a group of genetic illnesses that affect the children of parents who have a close genetic tie.
These children are at a higher risk of congenital diseases, mortality, and developmental and physical handicap, and this risk is proportionate to their parents’ relationship.
Victims of incest suffer greatly and, in some cases, for the rest of their lives. Some victims have been known to be suicidal, and some have committed themselves. Many are psychologically and emotionally wounded, suffering from emotions of guilt and humiliation.
While some attribute the incidence of incest in Nigeria to broken households and substance addiction, this is a line that most families are reluctant to cross or address due to the pain and suffering it entails.
Incest situations are difficult and delicate, but we can reduce them by assuring the safety of individuals who report them.
