ALLEGATION OF INCEST BY PATIENTS IN A GEN ERAL PSYCHIATRIC-WARD

Whereas the interest of the wider public in matters concerning family violence, particularly incest, is growing, the authors want to stress the importance of this theme in the actual statements of their inpatie nts. Despite the fact that events may have taken place some time ago i n the absence of any legal enquiry (as well as the mal ked psychopatho logical context) lead the authors to speak of <<incest allegations>>, this phase leaves open the question of the reality of the alleged viol ence. A series of 12 cases, drawn from the population of an adult psyc hiatric department of a general hospital, is presented. A clinical cas e illustrates all the complexity of the problems that the clinicians h ave to face following allegations of incest and serves to open up disc ussion.