Effects of Childhood Father-Daughter Incest

The academic community has virtually ignored the negative sequelae of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and father-daughter incest (FDI) that, together, affect approximately 30 to 60 million U.S. women and millions of men. This book interprets research on the interpersonal and sexual functioning and relational outcomes of adult survivors of CSA, FDI, and incest. This study finds that a majority of CSA women have significant difficulties in their sexual relationships and in couple functioning. Future research should offer agreed-upon definitions and reliable measures of CSA, anger, and normative psychosexual and relationship functioning. Clinical and empirical research on the sexual lives and relational sequelae of CSA are necessary. Studies should use heterogeneous samples, control groups, longitudinal research, and be grounded in theory and researchers should replicate existing studies. We need evolutionary theories of CSA sequelae and studies of successful relationships of survivors. Empirical studies of trauma contagion and the outcome of couples treatment are imperative. Consequently, we must open avenues of conversation and interdisciplinary research worthy of this pandemic.