Unspoken crime

THE EDITOR: It is far easier to understand and accept the LGBT people, to be happy and comfortable with them. Their working lives do not differ from the norm. The very thought of the crime of incest occurring within families makes one cringe. Imagine the extent of the mental/emotional damage to children. Think of the anguish of their adult lives when they realise the harm done to them was by close, trusted relatives. Damaged children usually become damaged adults. Along with drug use and alcohol, incest could be the reason for the high domestic violence statics in TT.

The talk of incest being an accepted part of the lifestyle in many rural families is shocking but believable. Incest becomes acceptable if your friends could tell you the same experiences about incest at home. Abused children may talk among themselves. It becomes the secret of the family and the village and is accepted as the untold story within closed communities.

Sex education must be taught from as early as primary school level. Knowledge is power. That power must come from the hands of the primary school teachers. Parents who are part of the incest story are themselves in need of coping strategies and counselling.

Lynette Joseph, Diego Martin