The statements have been written by Canadian professionals considered knowledgeable about the subject. Some of the myths deal with the demographic characteristics of the families, while others consider factors that contribute to the relative harmfulness of incest for the victim. Additional statements deal with the dynamics of family relationships, particularly those that suggest victim complicity, blame the mother, or excuse the father. Discussions of these 50 myths focus on the harm they do by not placing the blame where it belongs; by discounting the trauma of the incest experience for the victim; by discouraging helpseeking and prosecution; and by denying that incest, like other forms of sexual assault, is a form of violence and abuse.