Fantasy and reality: an essay on incest.

The question of fantasy and reality in incest cases has been and continues to be a complex and much debated issue. From an historical perspective this issue was at its peak following Freud's introduction of the seduction theory. The renunciation of his theory and the silence that ensued for decades placed this debate on hold. Now that incest is again being acknowledged, clinicians are once again confronted with the issue of reality versus fantasy. This paper will demonstrate different ways the relationship between fantasy and reality in incestuous experiences may be expressed. The need to reexamine our positions and to bring the interplay of fantasy and reality back to the forefront will be addressed.