In 2012, two similar cases came to light in which there was consensual sex between relatives with very different legal consequences. In Germany, a man who had lived with his sister for years and had four children with her was sentenced to prison. The sentence was maintained despite the fact that the affected person appealed to a European court. On the other hand, the Galician brothers Daniel and Rosa Peña , with 35 years of "conjugal" relationship behind them and two descendants in common, managed to legalize their incest situation and the justice granted them the family book . With this, they ceased to appear as the uncle and mother of their children to become, legally, their parents, despite the fact that they are not allowed to marry.
For biological reasons –there is a higher risk of contracting diseases due to consanguinity–, ethical –they are relationships that may come from a position of abuse of one of the parties involved–, attractive –not usually between those who have grown up together– and economic –The redistribution of income and income is socially convenient–, incest has traditionally been punished by law. But today in many countries the option of accepting these unions is considered when both members are adults and free to have them. For example, in Spain it ceased to be a crime in 1978, although marriage is prohibited; in Sweden the father's stepbrothers are allowed to marry; in France it has been decriminalized since Napoleon; and in some US states. UU., consanguineous sexual relations are legal but there are restrictions at the time of marriage.
Credit image: © Norbert Schaefer / Corbis
