482 CHILDREN EROTICIZED BY INCEST Am J Psychiatry 139:4, April 1982 Children Eroticized by Incest

The assumption that children involved in incest are passive, unwilling victims is an oversimplification of a complex situation. Young children may find such relationships gratifying and, t’hen exposed over time to intense genital and extragenital stimulation, the ’ often become highly erotic. This hyper,nature responsiveness may be viewed as learned behavior; the behavior is self-reinforcing and nay be difficult to modify. The author describes three children to illustrate their arousal, inability to differentiate sensualfrom affectionate touch, early gender discrimination, and stereotyped role modeling. Foster homes are neither trained nor supported in caring I or these children, so serial placements are common. A common assumption is that children involved in incest, who are necessarily victims, are als