Decriminalize Incest? Romania Is Not Alone

As the Josef Fritzl case echoes across Europe, Romania is considering a new approach to incest: legalizing it, the AP reports. The Justice Ministry is contemplating the move amid wider legal reforms, arguing that decriminalization would sync its stance with EU members France, Spain, and Portugal. “Not everything that is immoral has to be illegal,” said a legal expert.

But opponents, including the Vatican, oppose the move on moral, social, and psychological grounds, noting the increased risk of genetic problems for offspring. One Romanian woman even said she would “castrate” offenders. “Incest is a sin,” conceded one man, "but maybe it's wrong to make it a crime.”
(More incest stories.)