Immediate maternal reactions to the disclosure or discovery of incest

Abstract

The prevailing conception in the literature on women's reactions to paternal incest in their families is consistently negative. Few of these studies, however, even use women as subjects; and fewer still are sensitive to the influence of gender ideology on the interpretation of findings. This study sought to remedy that oversight by analyzing the data gleaned from in-depth life history interviews with 20 women from paternally incestuous families who were just entering treatment. The women's immediate reactions to the paternal incest in their families were analyzed. Less collusion, less disbelief of the incest allegation, more shock and outrage upon its disclosure or discovery, and more protective actions post-incest are found with this sample than are described in most previous studies.