While the average age of consent in most countries ranges from 16 to 18, there are several instances in which close relatives can have sex with each other without it being considered illegal. Some of these countries allow an aunt and her nephew to have sex if they are married, while others do not consider it illegal under any circumstances, as long as the two parties are consenting adults who are both at least 14 years old. However, while laws vary by country and culture, there are several drawbacks that all parties need to take into consideration before entering into such a relationship. What are the dangers of sexual relationships between an aunt and her nephew?
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The difference between sex, in general, and incest
To begin with, incest is illegal. In most states in America, incest is illegal under all circumstances; in others, it’s only prosecuted when someone acts on their taboo desires. While even consensual sex between relatives is considered morally abhorrent to many cultures and religions, that doesn’t mean that inter-family intercourse can’t have its benefits.
Incest is found in many cultures
Many cultures have various types of marriage among relatives, including brother–sister marriages, first cousin marriages, uncle–niece marriages, and mother’s brother–daughter or father’s sister-son marriages. Some cultures consider such unions to be incestuous. Historically, most societies have considered incest taboos as strong as those against kinship relations with non-humans (such as mating with animals), often punishing it severely. These rules are found in virtually all societies around the world.
Should incest be punished by law?
Incest is one of those subjects that everyone feels free to have strong opinions about, but few people know much about. After all, it isn’t something most people plan on encountering in their lives. Still, incest has been occurring for as long as humans have been around; even today, in parts of India and China, there is a cultural acceptance for certain forms of incest that allows family members to marry each other.
How children react when they find out they have been abused
A recently released study by John Hopkins University found that children who have been sexually abused or molested react differently based on their gender. According to research, girls who have been sexually abused usually dissociate from reality as a means of coping with their trauma, whereas boys tend to act out against others. Both reactions can be devastating for both victims and their families, but it’s important for loved ones to know how to support these individuals in moving forward from their ordeal.
