A Typology of Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies

Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 3, No. 4, 1988

Giri Raj Gupta ~ and Steven M. Cox I

Recent research on incest suggests that it is a complex phenomenon which assumes a variety of forms in different situations. A tentative typology based on prior research and clinical reports is presented. A preliminary framework for recognizing and dealing with various types of incest is outfined and a discussion of intervention and prevention strategies is provided.

KEY WORDS: incest; child abuse; sex offenders; sexual victims; sexual abuse; deviate sexual assault/rape; pedophilia.

INTRODUCTION

Incest, or sexual relationships with close blood relatives and other kin, has, during the past decade, received increasing attention in the United States. As recently as 1948, Kinsey stated that incest was so rare in American society that it was not worth mentioning (Kinsey et al., 1948). In dramatic contrast, Stark (1984) estimates that there may be 15 million victims of incest in the United States today. Some investigators indicate that as few as 10% of all incidents of child molestation are reported (See Kempe, 1978). Further, in those cases that are reported, victims range in age from 3 months to 17 years. Also, the majority of these cases involve long-term relationships between a child victim and a family member or close friend (Robertson and Wilson-Walker, 1985). The etiology and epidemiology of incest are still not clearly understood. Consequently timely assessment, intervention, and prevention are difficult. Development of a typology of incestuous relationships based on specific xWestern Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois 61455. 299

0885-7482/88/1200-0299506.00/0 1988 Plenum Publishing Corporation 300 Gupta and Cox behavioral patterns of perpetrator and victim might improve our effective- ness in these areas.

DYNAMICS OF INCEST

Adult sexual involvement with children is a complex phenomenon. Often, perpetrators and victims who are old enough to understand that something sexual is happening, are ambiguous about the beginnings of the sexual episodes. This is perhaps particularly true with respect to incestuous encounters. Touching, cuddling, fondling, kissing, and other acts of foreplay are often perceived by the victim as being within the scope of normal behavior until such activities become clearly sexual in nature (e.g., fondling of the breasts or genitals, masturbation, oral/genital contact). At this point, shame and humiliation may prevent children who understand what is happening from reporting the encounters. Some are simply too young to understand what is happening; others fail to report the encounters out of fear based on threats or use of force by the perpetrator. Many victims of incest are un- doubtedly hampered in resisting/reporting by the nature of the relationship with the offender (e.g., parent-child) which may be perceived as requiring obedience. Still, there are some reasonably clear indicators of sexual abuse in children which might lead an interested observer to suspect incest in the absence of other known trauma (See Tables I and II). About 75~ of reported incest cases involve father and daughter. Stark (1984) reports that such incestuous relationships typically begin when the daughter is between 6 and 11 years of age and continue for at least 2 years. However, numerous cases of infant and toddler abuse are also reported. Her- man (1981) indicates that 94% of the 506 incest cases she studied involved father and daughter. Gordon and O'Keefe (1984) found that biological fathers are the most frequent offenders, followed by step, foster, and adoptive fathers.

Table I. Verbal and Physical Indicators of Sexual Abuse in Children" 1. Statement of sexual abuse by the child 2. Corroborating statements of sexual abuse by others 3. Admission by the perpetrator 4. Supporting material evidence 5. Physical signs of trauma which support the child's allegation 6. Pregnancy in 10- to 15-year-olds 7. Presence of sexually transmitted diseases 8. Vaginal or rectal bleeding 9. Vaginitis or vulvitis 10. Genital or rectal trauma, lacerations, bruises ~Adapted from Ryan (1984). Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 301

Table II. Behavioral Indicators of Child Sexual Abuse" 1. Regressivebehavior (thumbsucking, bedwetting) 2. Public masturbation, extreme interest in sex organs 3. Fear of persons and places of which the child was not previously afraid 4. Anxiety 5. Poor peer relationships 6. Somatic complaints 7. Difficulty in walking or sitting 8. Eating/sleep disturbances 9. Personality changes 1 0. Sudden decline in school grades 11. Overly seductive behavior, promiscuity, prostitution 12. Running away from home 13. Substance abuse 14. Withdrawal from physical/recreational activities 15. Depression/suicide ideation or attempts aAdapted from Ryan (1984).

Incest can take a variety of forms, ranging from a display of sexual activity as one component of love to violent sexual assault. It is often found in multiproblem families. Incestuous parents appear to have a clear lack of impulse control which is demonstrated by abuse of alcohol and other sub- stances, spouse abuse, and the frequent use of violence to solve disputes (Gor- don and O'Keefe, 1984; Julian and Mohr, 1979; Truesdell, 1986).

A TENTATIVE TYPOLOGY OF INCEST

Recent efforts to prevent incest have focused on what children can do to protect themselves (Finkelhor, 1984). But incest is an interactive process in which the adult typically determines who will be abused; efforts to prevent incest must take this into account if they are to be successful. With this in mind, several researchers have attempted to develop typologies of sex offenders and, occasionally, their victims (Bender and Grugett, 1952; Giar- retto, 1976; Vons Hentig, 1948). Summit and Kryso (1978), for example, developed a typology ranging from incidental sexual contact to perverse incest. Included in the typology were the categories mysagynous, imperious, pedophilic, and child rapist. We have attempted to expand on the idea of the typology and to develop a typology which might help practitioners recognize and intervene in incest cases involving children old enough to recognize that the sexual behavior being proposed or in which they are involved is in- appropriate. In this typology, incest is viewed as a process in which interaction occurs between victim and offender (Swan, 1985). This interaction may be initiated by either or both of the parties involved, and may be brought 302 Gupta and Cox on by a variety of different, identifiable circumstances. To the extent that these circumstances can be recognized and corroborated by practitioners, specific patterns of behavior and actions of both perpetrator and victim may be anticipated. When such behavior patterns are observed, immediate investigation and rapid intervention (where appropriate) are called for. While we believe the typology will help practitioners conceptualize and recognize relationships which may involve incest, the value of the typology can only be determined by those who employ it. The typology developed presented here is imperfect. The categories discussed are not mutually exclu- sive, and perhaps not exhaustive. Further refinement based on field research and experiences is clearly required. Nonetheless, we believe the categories can be used to aid in recognizing potential incest cases. In the typology which follows, case examples are used to illustrate the kinds of interaction characteristic of the various types of incestuous relationships discussed.

TYPES OF INCEST AND ASSOCIATED BEHAVIOR PATTERNS

Masochistic Incest

In Masochistic Incest, the victim actively seeks out pain/punishment through incestuous acts to alleviate guilt feelings. The victim may perceive herself as responsible for conditions which are creating disharmony in, or destroying, the family unit. To punish herself, the youth may make herself available for sexual encounters with the father. For example, she overhears her parents discussing divorce and one or both make comments about eco- nomic conditions as an underlying factor. Her name comes up in the con- versation in terms of expenses for school clothing. She views herself as the cause of the divorce and approaches her father sexually, or allows him to approach her, in an attempt to get him to reconsider leaving.

Case Illustration

Debbie, a 13 year old, had been abused by her father for some time. Her mother works part-time as a salesperson in a local store while her father, who has never held a stable job, stays home to take care of her and the household chores. He frequently had searched for work, but except for occasion- al odd jobs in other towns, nothing materialized. Jobless and frustrated, he became involved in heated arguments with Debbie's mother who often threatened divorce. Financial difficulties mounted when the family car needed extensive repairs and hospital bills for medical problems accumulated. Debbie's father did not allow her to play with other children in the neighborhood stat- ing that they were mostly irresponsible and not worthy of her company. Dur- ing domestic fights, her mother charged that he preferred babysitting Debbie Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 303 rather than finding a job, thus causing Debbie to believe she was the cause of her father's inability to find work. After the fights and bitter arguments, Debbie usually sympathized with her father and asserted she was the cause of the problems. One evening, when her mother was at work, her father had a few beers. She decided to discuss some of the family problems with him and made some friendly overtures which resulted in fondling and eventually sex. She insists she is the cause of the domestic problems and continues to attempt to persuade her father never to discuss divorce with her mother again. In cases such as this, the victim literally gives herself up to the perpetrator in order to keep him in the household and then rationalizes the incestuous encounters as punishment she deserves for tearing the family apart. In es- sence, she initiates the encounters. In some instances, the father resists such encounters initially, in others he takes early advantage of the opportunity; and in others he never becomes sexually involved. When he does become involved, because of his status as a parent, he cannot escape legal or moral responsibility for the incestuous encounters. However, in this type of incest, he does not actually initiate the encounters.

Seductive Incest

Seductive Incest involves flirtatious, sexually suggestive behavior between father and daughter. The daughter may be sexually active, display overt attempts at dressing suggestively, and engage in an unusually high degree of physical contact with the father. She may show jealousy concerning the same- sex parent and a sexually permissive mentality. The daughter may also ar- range for periods of isolation with her father. She is not completely innocent about her sexual feelings and responds to physical contacts with intense curi- osity and excitement.

Case Illustration

Betty always adored her father who she saw as generous, outgoing,witty, and handsome. She felt he was wonderful, hugged him, kissed him, and fa- vored him over her mother, a regional supervisor for a publishing company who was away on business several times a month. He owned a clothing business. Her father admired her for whatever she did. One night he asked if she would sleep in his bed. Though it was a little unusual, she did not think much about it. She was in the fourth grade. She was so proud that her father would ask her to sleep with him. She thought he was just lonely, so she asked if she could give him a neck massage. He told her to just cuddle up. He was uneasy, but he started touching her. Though she was afraid, she was excited too. It was like she was floating on the clouds. He asked her to touch and kiss his penis. Finally, he performed a sexual act on her. This pattern continued for 4 years. She still asks herself if she seduced him. 304 Gupta and Cox

The feeling that a parent treats a particular child as attractive or special may in turn induce the child to be drawn into continuing contact and to making secret pacts with the parent. This leads to the sharing of forbidden sexual feelings and acts. Once the taboo is broken, it becomes increasingly easy for the parent to justify continuing the sexual activity. In the case of seductive incest, either the parent or the child may initiate the encounters. One, or perhaps both, make sexually suggestive moves which lead to a sexual response on behalf of the other and incest is the result. Such behaviors are not intentionally engaged in by young children. However, they may be deliberately engaged in by adolescents who may, for example, expose themselves repeatedly to the father either nude or in various stages of undress to elicit a reaction. The father may respond in kind or may invite the child involved to embrace, caress, or fondle (his own seductive manuevers), thus leading to an incestuous encounter. Such encounters may begin as something of a game, but eventuate in something entirely different.

Emotional Incest

The victims and perpetrators of emotional incest are usually concerned about losing love or emotional support and express such love or support through physical contact. There is often confusion regarding the concepts of love and sex. Poor relationships frequently exist with the same sex parent.

Case Illustration

"Both my parents drank too much. My father's alcoholism worsened when he found out that my mother had an affair with one of his friends, and he suspected several others in their 20 years of marriage. My father deserved empathy and support, my mother contempt and pity. For some reason, I was never close to my mother who always seemed to undercut me. When I was about 14 years old, my father suggested that because he could not find time for a vacation he would take me with him on one of his business trips. Going out to eat and going to museums turned out to be a fantastic experience. Late in the evening he slipped out of our hotel room and returned drunk after midnight. I was scared, but he started talking about my mother. I emphasized with him and felt that he treated me like an adult. He dozed off on my bed and I was lying at his side. He started touching me and the sensations did not allow me to resist. Gradually he undressed me and caressed my body. Finally, he forced an act of oral sex on me." The need to develop strong emotional ties with parents is characteristic of most children. The threat of witholding love or respect when employed Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 305 by a parent can be very powerful. To gain or develop such emotional ties, a child may be willing to do almost anything, including submitting to incestuous acts. Further, from the child's perspective at least, it is sometimes difficult to determine when attempts to demonstrate emotional closeness become overly sexualized. Older children may use threats of withdrawal of love against parents as well. Thus, initiation of this type of incest may come from either the parent or the child. However, once again, it should be emphasized that the parent cannot escape moral and legal responsibility even though the child initiates the encounter.

Curative Incest

This form of incest involves unusual willingness on behalf of the child to accept adult roles, particularly as caretaker of the suspected perpetrator. There is often an unusual concern about, and/or physical closeness with, the abusive parent. Sex and physical contact are perceived as one means of "curing" family problems.

Case Illustration

"As long as I can remember, I have hated my mother for being a lousy mother and wife. Our home was like an asylum partly because my father was an authoritarian, very conservative person who ran our house with an iron fist, like a military camp. My mother used to receive cruel beatings from him and he always accused her of stupidity and sexual frigidity. My mother was so withdrawn from the home scene that I took over the responsibility of caring for everyone, including my two younger sisters and father. In es- sence I was playing mother. Inspite of mother's shortcomings, I felt that her life could be rehabilitated if she could share her responsibilites. Instead, she found an evening shift job as a cashier. Things were calm at home when my mother was at work. One evening my father sneaked into my bed and started fondling me. I was about 12 years old. Though I was scared, I did not resist. He picked me up from the bed and put me on the floor. I guess he did not want my sisters to know. He had sex with me twice the same night and he told me to keep it a secret unless I wanted all hell to break loose. I thought this was the best thing to do in order to keep peace in the family." This type of incest involves the curative or "rescuer" role played by either or both perpetrator and victim during personal or family crises. The threat of divorce or the breakup of adolescent relationship are viewed as opportu- nities for sexual closeness. An argument between mother and daughter may 306 Gupta and Cox allow the father to play the rescuer role with respect to the daughter by in- dicating his love (including physical love) for the daughter who may perceive herself as no longer loved by the mother. Or, a daughter may attempt to fill the role of her mother during family crises, including the role of loving partner. The rescuer may view himself/herself as a martyr who gives his/her love to save the family or help heal the wounds of a broken relationship.

Situational Incest

Situational Incest involves long and/or frequent periods of time during which the mother is absent while the father is home with the daughter. There is often a history of drug/alcohol abuse on the part of either or both participants and geographic or social isolation from others. Poor interspousal relationships are common. Traumatic occurrences may precipitate situational incest in the presence of the above factors. Such episodes provide the excuse or rationale for incest.

Case Illustration

"My mother always felt she had to fight for a cause . . . from zoning laws to tax referenda. She rarely stayed home long enough to know she had a teenage daughter. She forgot my birthday when she had a political speech to make. She saw herself as a crusader. I was a winner in violin competition one night. My dad, who was more attentive to and appreciative of my efforts arranged a small party for friends after the recital. The euphoria of winning the prize was enhanced when dad put his arm around me and said he loved me and was proud of me. It was a thrilling experience. My mother was, as usual, out on one of her missions. We were sitting next to each other on the sofa after the party. Dad had had a few drinks . . . my body was shivering . . . I was ready to explode. Things got hot and heavy and he had intercourse with me. When it was all over I got up and went to my room . . . I felt nauseated."

Persuasive Incest

In Persuasive Incest, confusion about the extent and nature of permis- sible physical contact between parent and child may be present. Fear of being alone with father, ambiguity concerning appropriate sexual conduct, and defensiveness are possible indicators. This type of incest involves manipula- tion, persuasion, negotiation, and/or argumentation on behalf of the perpetrator in attempts to convince the victim to participate. Such attempts may include assurances that there is nothing wrong with the suggested behavior, Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 307 that no one else will ever know about the behavior, demands for obedience to parental authority, etc. The victim may be convinced that the bahavior is acceptable, or may allow herself to be persuaded even though she knows the activity is forbidden. While this type of incest could be initiated by either parent or child, the parent is in a far better position to be persuasive than the child.

Case Illustration

"I was only seven. I liked John, my stepfather, and did what he said. He would touch me, caress me, and sit next to me. We watched television together a lot and he would often cover us both with a blanket. Occasionally, he slipped his hand into my panties. I was confused, I felt weird, but sometimes the touching felt good. My morn felt something was wrong and said that I should not sit so close to John. I mentioned John's behavior to a friend. She said that her dad didn't do things like that to her and that maybe he didn't love her as much. John would take me joyriding and would stop some- where in a remote area and ask me to sit in his lap and later to masturbate him. Often I felt sick to my stomach. John kept reminding me that he loved me more than my mother and would buy things for me because I was 'dad's girl.' My mother would ask me where I got certain things she had not bought for me. It seemed she didn't really want to hear the answer. One Sunday, John asked me to go to a fastfood place with him after church and then he drove to a nearby pond. He started undressing me in the parked car, assur- ing me that it was all part of loving each other. He had sex with me. From then on, it continued for 4 years. Morn didn't care to know even though it was going on in a small two bedroom house right under her nose."

Sadistic Incest

Sadistic Incest is typically accompanied by signs of physical abuse, fear of or withdrawal from adult males, shame, introversion, fear of being alone with father or other males which may be expressed indirectly or in the father's absence. The initiator in sadistic incest is always the parent, who deliberately inflicts pain (often above and beyond that involved in the physical act itself) on the victim.

Case Illustration

Susan, a 3 year old, was examined at a county hospital emergency room 20 miles from her home. She had bruises all over her body, swollen eyes, and difficulty in breathing. The sheriff had found her behind an abandoned 308 Gupta and Cox trailer home not far from her parents' trailer after receiving a tip. Medical examination disclosed hemorrhaging and hemotoma in the vaginal area. She was admitted to the hospital and the Department of Children and Family Services was notified. Her parents came to see her. Her stepfather initially expressed shock and then attempted to explain that Susan had been kidnapped and molested. Next, he indicated that she may have run into the bushes as a result of fear of the neighbor's dog or may have fallen on the steps. The mother was clearly annoyed and complained upon entering the emergency room that Susan was inconveniencing her. Upon interrogation, Susan's- stepfather stated that he could not tolerate her constant crying and that he punished her to keep her quiet. He claimed there was no other way to discipline the child. A neighbor later testified that she had heard Susan screaming almost everyday since her stepfather moved into the house.

Pedophilic Incest

The pedophile shows excessive interest in and desire for physical/sexual contact with children. He views children, including his own, as appropriate targets for sexual encounters. The victim may exhibit fear of being alone with the father, fear of members of the opposite sex, may indicate that she has "secrets" with the perpetrator, and may be unwilling to bring playmates home (even under pressure to do so). The offender pursues children and makes sexual advances which may terminate in incest. There is probably little the child can do to avoid such encounters since the condition is pathological and the perpetrator is likely to pursue his prey regardless of the actions of the intended victim. Quite often the perpetrator will have pornographic material dealing with children in his possession.

Case Illustration

After two previous divorces, Alan met Cindy and they were married within 3 months. Alan worked at an auto salvage yard, never had enough money to live on, and had no real skills. Cindy was a nurse's aid and had a three year-old daughter, Karen, from a prior marriage. Though Alan was in his late 20s' he frequently associated with children in the neighborhood, playing a sort of leadership role. The children idolized him, but some of their parents were suspicious. He molested the children while granting them special favors to keep them quite. Alan liked to share his attention with several women, but marriage to Cindy restricted him. She warned him that if she caught him with another woman their marriage would be over. He began sharing child care activities and staying home with Karen which pleased Cindy. Alan's sexual abuse of Karen came to light when she could not sit down in Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 309 her chair because her bottom hurt too much. Cindy found extensive swell- ing in the genital area and signs of hemorrhage. She confronted Alan and took Karen to the emergency room at the hospital. Alan confessed, admit- ting that it wasn't the first time, and asked Cindy for forgiveness. He started crying as he explained that he had molested several neighborhood children. He contended that he had a strong sex drive which had to be satisfied and since other women were forbidden by Cindy, he was forced to turn to children.

Aggravated Incest

This is basically the same as sadistic incest except that there may be no signs of physical abuse since threat may be sufficient to initiate and main- tain the incestous relationship.

Case Illustration

"My grandparents took me into their custody when I was six after my parents were divorced. My mother was declared unfit to care for me. Grand- ma was a passive and withdrawn woman who was dominated by grandpa. Grandpa was an authoritative, overpowering person. He wouldn't allow me to play with friends, and none of the neighborhood children were allowed to visit our home. Often I was depressed and cursed my parents in the presence of my grandparents. I was lonely and began to spend time with a 13-year- old boy when I was 11, even though grandpa told me not to talk to any boys. One afternoon, I ran away and hid in an abandoned shack for 2 days, but decided to return home since I had no food, drink, or money. The police picked me up on the way home and took me to grandpa. That same evening he and I argued. He charged that I was promiscuous and threatened to teach me a lesson. Later that night he came to my room and whispered for me not to say a word or he would get rid of me. He was so frightening that I didn't say a word. He assaulted me sexually. When he left the room, he said 'Be a good girl or else.' My hatred for him grew until I wished I could kill him." Once again it must be noted that clear distinctions among the afore- mentioned types of incest are not always possible. It is not necessary, however, to be able to classify the type involved in order to be alert to the possibility that incest may be occurring. For example, when a child suddenly becomes afraid to be alone with men, withdraws, complains of physical pains, and so on, any one of several behavior patterns may be involved. As more information is gathered about specific cases, the type of interaction may become increasingly evident. Thus, when practitioners believe they have discovered 310 Gupta and Cox behavior patterns and circumstances such as those discussed here, the possibility of incest should be raised in the alternative explanations for the behavior. Further investigation based on this recognition may be beneficial for prevention or intervention.

PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION

Given personal experiences and the information presented in the discussion above, strategies for intervention and prevention may be developed for the various types of incest. The typology will hopefully help to focus initial contacts and indicate cues which might alert practitioners to look for certain other indices of incestuous activity. Some possible indicators of sexual abuse transverse the categories discussed: the presence of child pornography or child erotica in the home; un- explained physical injuries or genital/anal problems; sudden emotional withdrawal of an otherwise outgoing child; sudden repeated absences from school or running away from home; drastic changes in personal hygiene or toileting habits in very young children. In all suspected incest cases, the first step should be a thorough medical examination. This examination should be coupled with an interview that may be based on the clues contained in the typology above. Has there been a recent trauma in the family? Has a recent marriage or remarriage occurred? Does the child feel responsible for family problems? Is there drug or alcohol abuse in the family? Is there other evidence of domestic violence? Is the child overly defensive about or protec- tive of one parent? Is the family socially isolated? Is there any past history of sexual abuse in the family? Is there evidence of drastic changes in school performance? Clearly, the answers to these questions may indicate problems other than incest. However, in combination, they may allow the practitioner to confirm or reject suspicions and incest must be considered as an alternative. Obviously, when evidence supports the belief that incest is occurring, law enforcement authorities should be notified since the act constitutes a violation of criminal law and endangers the welfare of the victim. Removing either the victim of the offender from the home is often difficult and some type of intervention in the home setting may be necessary, though not the most desirable alternative. Further, experience indicates that the typology presented above (in conjunction with other factors, such as age of victim, length of abuse, prior history of offender, etc.) also represents a continuum in terms of the likelihood of removal and prosecution of the offender. When aggravated, sadistic, or pedophilic incest is discovered, the likelihood of prosecution is relative high, partially because there may be more physical evidence to support the case and because of the seriousness of the perpetrator's offense. When masochistic or seductive incest is uncovered, prosecution may Incest and Possible Intervention Strategies 311 be less likely due to difficulties in collecting evidence and ambiguity regarding the degree to which each party is involved in initiating and sustaining the behavior. In such cases, diversion to a treatment program is perhaps more likely than full prosecution. Even when the likelihood of prosecution is very low, however, intervention in suspected or detected cases is essential (Krieger and Robbins, 1985). While the type of intervention may vary with types of incest, the most successful approach appears to involve safeguarding and counseling the victim. Where appropriate, some combination of the members of the victim's family may benefit from counseling efforts (see discussion by Giarretto, 1976). This approach assumes, of course, that all parties are willing to participate in treatment or that one or more parties is (are) legally required to do so. Again, the typology may be useful in providing direction for therapy, as well as for dispositional decisions made by the court.

CONCLUSION

It is evident that incest is more common in our society than previously believed. Prior and current research indicates that there may be identifiable patterns of incestuous behavior. A typology of such behavior is presented here in an attempt to help provide information to practitioners pertaining to the existence, extent, and nature of such behavior, and in an effort to guide intervention strategies. It is crucial for the welfare of victims and those who care about them, as well as for some offenders, that physicians and nurses, teachers, social service personnel, and law enforcement agents be able to identify potential incest cases, assess the likelihood of possible legal action with respect to the perpetrator, and determine proper treatment procedures. The purpose of the typology presented here is to facilitate such identification.

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