Incest

Incest involves the consensual relationship between direct relatives (grandparents, parents, children, grandchildren), brothers and sisters. The Romanian Criminal Code provides for punishments between 1 and 5 years for each of the participants.
 
However, if you’ve experienced sexual abuse by a family member, remember, you are not alone, and what happened to you is not your fault. In order to speak out about abuse, the same methods should be applied as in the case of rape or sexual assault, following the recommendations above.
 
While it may be difficult to talk about, you should know that this is an issue that impacts many people. The majority of juvenile victims know the perpetrator, and approximately 34% of perpetrators in cases of child sexual abuse are family members.

What is incest?

The term „incest“ refers to consensual sexual intercourse between direct family members, brothers and sisters. Unwanted sexual intercourse with a family member can have a lasting effect on the victim.

Why is it difficult to tell someone about sexual abuse by a family member?

It can be difficult for an individual to disclose sexual  abuse when they know the perpetrator. It can be especially difficult if the perpetrator is a family member.
 
What can keep a victim of sexual crime by a family member from telling someone about the abuse?

• they may care about the perpetrator and be afraid of what will happen to the perpetrator if they tell;
• they may also be concerned about other family members' reactions, fearing they won’t be believed or will be accused of doing something wrong;
• they may have already tried to tell someone what happened, but the abuse was ignored or minimized;
• they have been told by the perpetrator that what is happening is normal or happens in every family, and they don’t realize that it is a form of abuse;
• they may not know that help is available, or they don’t know who to trust;
• they may be afraid of getting in trouble for telling, or that the perpetrator will follow through with threats.

Where can I find support?

If you have experienced sexual violence by a family member, you may encounter a range of short and long term effects that many victims face. You may face additional issues related to your sense of safety and trust because this type of abuse often disrupts your primary support system - the family. The people who were supposed to protect and care for you may have caused harm or allowed the harm to continue.

If you want to talk about sexual violence with a professional ready to help, send an email to: help@asistentavictime.ro