Blood shame

Blodskam is the traditional Danish legal and colloquial term for incest, referring to sexual intercourse or other sexual activity between closely related persons. The term literally translates to "blood shame" and reflects the historical social and legal prohibition against sexual relations within families.

Under Danish criminal law, blodskam is regulated by Section 210 of the Penal Code, which criminalizes sexual intercourse or other sexual contact with a blood relative in direct ascending or descending line, such as parents, children, grandparents, or grandchildren. The provision also extends to certain other close family relations. The law applies regardless of whether the relationship is consensual, as the prohibition is based on biological kinship rather than consent.

In true crime literature and historical Danish legal sources, blodskam was the predominant term used for incest cases. While the word remains understood in modern Danish, contemporary legal and journalistic language increasingly uses the term "incest" or refers directly to the specific criminal statute. The shift in terminology reflects broader changes in legal vocabulary and the internationalization of criminal justice discourse.

The criminalization of blodskam serves multiple societal purposes, including protecting family structures, preventing genetic risks associated with inbreeding, and safeguarding vulnerable family members from exploitation. Danish courts have consistently upheld convictions under this statute, treating violations as serious offenses against both individual dignity and public morals.