He encountered several problems that appear to be unique to the subject of incest and seem to constitute a kind of stigma associated with incest investigations. He found that sexual victimization is a painful subject for many, including both victims and mental health and medical professionals. There appears to be a strong desire on the part of professionals to isolate the incest problem to an undesirable family type in order to ignore the pervasiveness of incest in all segments of society. Studies indicate that the problem of incest is indeed widespread; one study estimates the incidence of parental incest to involve 1 in 3 girls, while another study reports that 1 in 4 boys have been sexually abused by a parent. Researchers must be prepared for questions about their motives in studying incest, since the subject remains unpleasant for so many. It is also important for research subjects to know with whom they are dealing. The investigator must be prepared to discuss the subject's participation with other significant people in the incest survivor's life and must be prepared to be deeply affected by the subject's revelations. 8 references