[Incest. A descriptive study of incest registered at the department of social medicine in Copenhagen during the period Jan. 1, 1987-Dec. 31, 1987].

The object of this investigation was to describe the cases of suspected incest registered in the Department of Social Medicine in the Municipality of Copenhagen in the course of the year 1987. A total of 19 cases were registered. In these, 22 children and adolescents were involved in incestuous relationships; 15 girl and 7 boys. The cases were complicated and far from uniformly illustrated. The differences between the results of the cases where the social authorities were concerned and where the legal prosecuting authorities and the police are described. This difference is expressed by the fact that 13 out of the 22 victims of incest were taken into care outside the home. In addition, 12 out of 22 victims of incest received psychological help. Ten out of 19 cases were reported to the police but a sentence was passed in one case only. Increased training is required for the professional persons involved, and a broad selection of therapeutic proposals should be offered to all of the families concerned, harmonizing with various instances particularly social and health authorities and the police and legal authorities.