Contrary to popular belief that the rural cane beltway is the main area where the crimes of incest occur, police statistics actually indicate that the parish of St. Catherine has the dubious honour of having the lions share of incest cases in Jamaica.

WHAT IS INCEST?Incest is more about power and less about sex, say the experts.  Its about how a man can exert total control over someone else, playing upon her needs and wants, threatening to withhold favours from a tender age right up to adulthood, said one counselor.  Strictly defined, incest is sexual interaction between close relatives: fratrilagnia brother; matrincest mother; patrolagnia father and sororilagnia sister.

HOW IT AFFECTS THE CHILDThe child usually remains silent about the act, because she is too young to know that such behaviour is prohibited, or because shes afraid of the consequences if she tells anyone about it. Some fathers brainwash their daughters into believing that this is the way to express their love for them. The oldest daughter is usually the target, but others may be abused concurrently, or in sequence, as they grow older.  Incest often leaves the young child emotionally scarred for life, say psychologists. She is likely to enter into abusive relationships, where the man is the undisputed head; become sexually promiscuous; have an impaired sexual self-esteem resulting in sexual difficulties in relationships; and memories of sexual abuse can lead to universal feelings of depression.  Psychologists note that the cycle of victimisation and abuse continues far into adulthood, as the woman accepts extreme cases of domestic abuse. She grows embittered and continues to seek male attention in an effort to regain her lost identity.

WHAT THE LAW SAYSUnder the Incest (Punishment) Act 2 (1), any male person who has carnal knowledge of a female person, who is to his knowledge his grand-daughter, daughter, sister or mother, shall be guilty of a misdemeanour, and on conviction thereof before a Circuit Court shall be liable to imprisonment with hard labour for any term not exceeding five years. If it is proven that the female is under 12, imprisonment, a term not exceeding 10 years at hard labour, will apply.