Sexually Harmful Behaviours Research Lab
Incest and sexual behaviour within families
Research on intrafamilial sexual harm, sibling sexual behaviour, family processes, and opportunities for prevention.
Why this research matters
Understanding sexual harm within family systems
Our research examines whether findings from broader sexual-offending samples apply to intrafamilial sexual harm. We study sibling sexual behaviour, coercive sibling sexual abuse, father鈥揹aughter sexual abuse, and the family processes that may increase risk or support prevention.
Research program
Research themes
Sibling sexual behaviour
We examine the individual, sibling, and family factors associated with sexual behaviour between siblings, including the conditions under which behaviour becomes coercive or harmful.
Father鈥揹aughter sexual abuse
Our studies investigate individual and family-level factors associated with intrafamilial sexual abuse by fathers and stepfathers.
Family processes and prevention
We identify family dynamics that may facilitate harm or offer protection, with the goal of strengthening prevention and early intervention.
Current focus
Current projects examine intrafamilial sexual harm by fathers, with particular attention to family dynamics that may facilitate or protect against abuse. This international program includes participants from Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, and the United States.
Recent and foundational work
Selected publications
Characteristics and risk factors for sibling incest
Babchishin, K. M., Holmes, E. J., Banse, R., Huppertz, L., & Seto, M. C. (2024). PLOS ONE, 19(12), e0314550.
Gender/sex preferences, cohabitation, and sibling incest
Babchishin, K. M., Holmes, E. J., Banse, R., & Seto, M. C. (2024). Archives of Sexual Behavior.
The Westermarck hypothesis and incest avoidance
Pullman, L. E., Babchishin, K. M., & Seto, M. C. (2019). Evolutionary Psychology, 17.
The puzzle of intrafamilial child sexual abuse
Seto, M. C., Babchishin, K. M., Pullman, L. E., & McPhail, I. V. (2015). Clinical Psychology Review, 39, 42鈥�57.
Support for this research
Funding partners
University of Ottawa Medical Research Fund
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Interested in research collaboration?
We welcome conversations about data partnerships, applied research, knowledge exchange, and new research questions.