Forensic Evaluation in Alleged Sibling Incest Against Children

Abstract

Sibling incest is a serious form of intrafamilial sexual abuse with health, social, and legal relevance. A retrospective study was conducted through the analysis of forensic medical reports of the alleged sibling incest of victims under 18 years old (n = 68) from 2004 to 2011 as well as the respective judicial outcomes. Results demonstrated that sibling’s sexual abuse is associated with several circumstances that might exacerbate its severity such as vaginal, anal, and/or oral penetration. Moreover, the victim’s young age, the proximity between victim and abuser, and the fact that it is committed at the victim’s and/or abuser’s home and by using physical violence and verbal threats justify a late detection of these cases.

KEYWORDS:

• incest
• children
• intrafamilial
• sibling
• forensic medical examination
• judicial outcome

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Vera Falcão

Vera Falcão, MSc, MD, is a general resident in the Póvoa do Varzim, Vila do Conde Hospital.

Patrícia Jardim

Patrícia Jardim, MSc, MD, is a forensic medical doctor at the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, invited assistant professor at the Faculty of Medicine of Porto University, and secretary of Portuguese Society for the Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (SPECAN).

Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira

Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira, PhD, PharmD, is a forensic research professor with habilitation at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto and coordinator of the first and second degrees in forensic sciences of the Advanced Institute of Health Sciences–North (ISCS-N), CESPU, CRL, Gandra, Portugal.

Teresa Magalhães

Teresa Magalhães, PhD, MD, is senior assistant at the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, full professor at the Faculty of Medicine and director of the Department of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences of the University of Porto, Portugal, and president of the Portuguese Society for the Study of Child Abuse and Neglect (SPECAN).