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Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science pp 1–4Cite as

Incest

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Synonyms

Consanguineous sexual relationship

Definition

It is defined as the sexual activity between individuals who are genetically related.

Introduction

Incest is considered a taboo sexual activity. Incest is derived from Latin word incestus which means unchaste. It is defined as “any sexual activity between close blood relatives who are forbidden by law to marry” (Kellogg 2005). The Cambridge English Dictionary also defines incest as “sexual activity involving people who are closely related and not legally allowed to marry” (Dictionary 2017). It is a worldwide neglected social issue both in developed and developing countries. As per a recent data from developing countries like India, nearly three out of ten registered cases of rape are due to incest, and it follows an increasing trend (Verma et al. 2017). Considering its rising trend, importance, and impact on the society, WHO classifies it as a silent health emergency (Organization 2004) and is underreported because of social taboo.

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India

    Sujita Kumar Kar

  2. Department of Forensic medicine & toxicology, SCB Medical College, Cuttack, India

    Rajanikanta Swain

Authors
  1. Sujita Kumar Kar
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  2. Rajanikanta Swain
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sujita Kumar Kar .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Oakland University, Rochester, MI, USA

    Todd K. Shackelford

  2. Rochester, MI, USA

    Viviana A. Weekes-Shackelford

Section Editor information

  1. Westfield State University, Westfield, MA, USA

    Joseph A. Camilleri

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Kar, S.K., Swain, R. (2020). Incest. In: Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1996-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1996-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-16999-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Behavioral Science and PsychologyReference Module Humanities and Social SciencesReference Module Business, Economics and Social Sciences

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