We have a heavy “ick” factor today.
Our previous thorny legal posts have involved vigilante justice and a rather gruesome application of (what I assume to be) Sharia law.
Our question today is whether government should have laws against incest for people over age 18, and we’re discussing this because Switzerland is considering a law to legalize sexual relations between adult family members. Here’s a blurb from the U.K.-based Telegraph.
The upper house of the Swiss parliament has drafted a law decriminalising sex between consenting family members which must now be considered by the government. There have been only three cases of incest since 1984. Switzerland, which recently held a referendum passing a draconian law that will boot out foreigners convicted of committing the smallest of crimes, insists that children within families will continue to be protected by laws governing abuse and paedophilia. Daniel Vischer, a Green party MP, said he saw nothing wrong with two consenting adults having sex, even if they were related. “Incest is a difficult moral question, but not one that is answered by penal law,” he said. Barbara Schmid Federer of The Christian People’s Party of Switzerland said the proposal from the upper house was “completely repugnant.” …The Protestant People’s Party is also opposed to decriminalising the offence which at present carries a maximum three year jail term.
This issue also has been in the news because a Columbia University Professor recently was arrested for having sex with his 24-year old daughter, though the relationship apparently began after the woman turned 18.
If I was the the mother, sibling, or other relative of this woman, I would break Professor Epstein’s kneecaps (or perhaps aim a little higher), but I suppose there’s no reason why government should be involved in sexual matters between consenting adults.
That having been said, I certainly think it is appropriate and legitimate for the government to closely investigate, in instances such as the Epstein case, to see if any incest occurred before age 18. And if it did, break out the pruning shears.
Battleshiphips
Chicken or the egg? The interbreeding led to maladaptive physical and mental traits, or they were isolated and interbreeding because of these maladaptive physical and mental traits? A matter of genetics I believe. Blood relatives do not automatically have offspring with abnormalities, but a diminished gene pool leads to less variability and can result in increased manifestation of traits whether positive or negative. I feel like I need some further research to figure out this story.
This is why the state criminalizes incest. Duh.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2521752/Children-incest-cult-living-deformed-mute-Australian-valley.html
It’s nobody’s business who has sex with who, as long as they are of legal age of consent. Who does it hurt? That should be the only criteria for making a law, whether or not someone is actually hurt by the other person’s actions. Otherwise it’s nobody’s business.
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Bravo Switzerland! The only thing they’re doing wrong is that they are ‘legalizing’ incest at the federal level, instead of leaving it to every canton to decide.
But in general, sure, incest should be as legit as every other non-violent relation, regardless of how morally appalled one may be of it.