Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

One other on risk .. II. Incest in Criminology and Genetics [...]

Genetic Risks

Because of the importance of a thorough understanding of genetic risks for the justification of the criminal prohibition of incest, the secondary analysis was extended to research on the occurrence of genetic defects and the diseases related to them. Offspring of incestuous relationships exhibit a greater stock of homozygous genes that are characterized – in contrast to heterozygous genes – by a lower variability. A higher degree of heterozygosity means a greater capacity to react to variable environmental conditions and, thus, increased vitality. Children of incestuous relationships have a lower degree of heterozygosity. Even if they do not develop a genetic disease, their lower degree of heterozygosity causes a decrease in their general fitness, called an inbreeding depression. Genetic risks are studied mainly in those regions of the world where marriage between close relatives is in line with social custom.

Research has shown that offspring of incestuous relationships have a higher risk of developing genetic diseases than do offspring of non-incestuous relationships. The closer the kinship relation between sexual partners, the higher the probability of a genetic anomaly for the offspring. In general, genetic diseases and hereditary abnormalities affect about 2 to 5 % of live births and account for some 50 % of deaths of children in Western countries. A survey of 38 populations in Asia, Africa, Europe, and South America estimates the risk of a transfer of genetic abnormalities to children of incestuous relationships as being 1.7 to 2.8 % higher compared to relationships between unrelated partners. The risk for diseases that occur later, during the first year of life, is 7 to 31 % higher compared to the rest of the population. In Jerusalem, for instance, the occurrence of genetically-caused malformation was observed in Arab babies of incestuous relationships. The result of the study was that 8.7 % of the babies of incestuous relationships had malformations (for instance, cardiac defects or Down’s syndrome) compared to 2.6 % in a control group. Based on studies, it can be concluded that there is a higher risk of genetic damage although the risk is within a range not far above the average risk in the normal population.

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Conclusion

In summary, the criminal prohibition of consensual incest between adults is relevant in only very few cases. While it is true that there are no representative empirical studies on the incidence and prevalence of sibling incest, some small-scale regional studies have shown that only 2 to 5 % of the surveyed population group had engaged in incestuous activity with a sibling. These experiences are largely limited to nonrecurring encounters or relationships of a short duration. Most of the “incest” cases that come to the attention of authorities involve other (aggravating) factors – factors that are the subject of special offense definitions in all legal systems.

If the incest law were abolished, no serious gaps in protection would result. In Germany, around 10 incest-related convictions are registered annually. The data from the Freiburg Cohort Study shows that by the time they reach the age of 35, only three to four persons born in a particular year (almost one million people are born each year) are registered by the judicial authorities for incest offenses. In addition, it has been shown that even in legal systems without a criminal prohibition of incest, the social incest taboo prevails. The "natural" aversion to incest is often explained by genetics and by a neuronal kin-recognition system. A natural avoidance of incest is so effective (excluding those regions of the world where certain forms of marriage among relatives are socially expected) that sexual relationships and marriage take place with partners from outside the family. Furthermore, while genetic risks are higher for offspring of incestuous relationships, this is only marginally so, and these risks can be addressed by means of genetic counseling. Therefore, the decriminalization of incest is not inconceivable. Decriminalization is worth considering, not only because cases such as the one at issue are very rare, but also because they tend to exhibit anomalies indicative of the fact that a "natural" aversion to incest did not develop because the partners grew up separately.

http://www.iuscrim.mpg.de/ww/en/pub/forschung/forschungsarbeit/gemeinsame_projekte/inzest/inzest_krim.htm

Re the comments mentioned in my other reply it's the total lack of empathy which so many exhibit toward others.

That is a problem.