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From: jgk@osc.COM (Joe Keane)
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Incest avoidance
Summary: Don't consider child abuse.
Keywords: incest
Message-ID: <4754@osc.COM>
Date: 25 Apr 91 23:36:50 GMT
References: <1991Apr5.233453.3577@leland.Stanford.EDU> <21529@crg5.UUCP> <3360@beguine.UUCP> <1991Apr23.173353.14984@agate.berkeley.edu>
Reply-To: jgk@osc.COM (Joe Keane)
Organization: Versant Object Technology, Menlo Park, CA
Lines: 34

I think that most of what people call `incest' should really just be called
`sexual child abuse'.  In the case where a parent abuses his child, i'd say
that the fact that the two are genetically related is only of secondary
importance.

I tend to think that this is common only because it's most `convenient' for
the abuser.  Assumedly he runs less risk of getting caught abusing his own
child than someone else's.  I think that this case is not very relevant, and
we should remove it from consideration when trying to figure out incest
avoidance.  It's unfortunate this that is as common as it is.

Biologically speaking, the consensual case is more interesting.  This would be
where there is no coercion, and the people involved are adults or, if
children, approximately the same age.  Unfortunately there's not much data on
this case.  Given that it's consensual and socially unacceptable, it's highly
likely that it will be kept secret.  So i think that it's hard to estimate how
common this is, or figure out when it happens.

Note that what is considered acceptable differs between cultures.  For
example, there is wide variation, even within cultures, on whether first
cousins are acceptable partners.  Also, some cultures distinguish cousins on
whether the parents are same-sex or opposite-sex siblings.  This makes some
sense genetically, but i don't know what the original justification is.

Regarding the comment ``How can a child be sexually attractive?'', i think
that there are enough weird people out there that just about anything may be
considered sexually attractive by someone.  Personally i don't know of anyone
who's sexually attracted to children, but then again i doubt someone would
admit to it.

Well, that's my two cents.  Comments welcome.
--
Joe Keane, amateur mathematician
jgk@osc.com (...!uunet!stratus!osc!jgk)