Executive director of Eve for Life (EFL), Joy Crawford, told the Jamaica Observer that majority of the incest cases she has interacted with are from the parishes of Westmoreland, St Ann, and St Thomas, however, she stressed that the issue remains an islandwide problem.

In the real sense of what is happening with our girls, it is very very difficult to handle this issue of incest,” Crawford said, highlighting that the issue of incest has remained a family secret in society.

The parish data indicates that there were six cases in Clarendon; five in Manchester; three in St Andrew; one in St Ann; five in St Catherine; one in St Elizabeth; two in St James; one in St Mary; three in St Thomas and two in Westmoreland.

The plan of action also states that sexual abuse by a family member is a form of incest and can result in more serious and long-term psychological trauma, especially in the case of parental incest.

“Whenever we go into a community we look at the general issue around sexual violence of our girls, then it gives us the opportunity to address the other issues around incest, who the perpetrators are, what is the profile of the perpetrators.