An article published Tuesday details how rates of incest are actually significantly higher than scientists previously understood. Like, a lot higher.
At least one psychiatric textbook in 1975 estimated that the rates of incest were around one in a million, according to The Atlantic. Thanks to advances in genetics testing and DNA analysis, that number is actually more like one in 7,000, in at least Great Britain. And this figure is not reserved for individuals whose parents may have been distant or second-degree relatives.
One in 7,000 people may be born to parents who were first-degree relatives. That means a parent, a sibling or a child.
“That’s way, way more than I think many people would ever imagine,” University of Edinburgh geneticist Jim Wilson told the outlet.
Hundreds of people taking DNA tests have found out that they are born from incest. This is one man’s story, by @sarahzhang: https://t.co/qH5hVligvF
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) March 18, 2024
Another expert interviewed by the outlet, CeCe Moore, knew of at least 1,000 people who learned the dark truth of their parentage thanks to companies like AncestryDNA and 23andMe. Moore said this problem isn’t just limited to one demographic: incest happens in every part of society, regardless of wealth. (RELATED: Brother Accused Of Having Sex With Sister Kills Her With Baseball Bat After She Sleeps With Another Man, Lawyers Say)
Support groups are popping up to help people who learn about their situation. Along with the trauma of knowing about their or their family’s incest, many people also have to learn that they are likely the result of sexual abuse. There is also the risk of genetic disease, which Wilson said was more up to chance than a guarantee.
The scary part is that AncestryDNA and other websites won’t inform users directly about their incest. Instead, you have to do your own research to find out if you’re part of this seemingly growing number of people.