In Mackenzie Phillips' new book, High on Arrival, she reveals her internal struggle from an incestuous relationship with her father, John Phillips: “I woke up that night from a blackout and found myself having sex with my own father. Your father is supposed to protect you, not [expletive] you.”
Explaining her failed attempt to confront her father about the abuse, Phillips told Oprah Winfrey in an interview: “I thought, wow, I'm really on my own here.” According to Phillips, the abuse began when she was 17 or 18, and lasted until she was in her 30s when she became pregnant; she did not know if the child she was carrying was her father's or her then-husband's.
Definition
According to the New Britain Sexual Assault Crisis Services, “incest and child sexual abuse occurs when a family member, trusted family friend, or stranger forces, coerces, or intimidates a child into sexual relations. For a child this can be especially frightening and confusing since the sexual abuse is often achieved without violence, and abusers often prey on the child's trust and fear to insure secrecy. Because incest involves betrayal of a trusted person, some researchers believe that the impact on victims may be more severe than other types of sexual assaults.”
Many incest victims are afraid to discuss what happen to them, due to fear of repercussions or the misconception that this is normal behavior. The emotional effects can be devastating: victims can suffer from depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance abuse. According to the Rape, Incest and Abuse National Network (RAINN), victims of sexual assault are 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol and 26 times more likely to abuse drugs.
Response
Mackenzie Phillips' story about her relationship with her father has elicited many mixed responses. Due to Phillips' past history of substance abuse, some people have been hesitant to believe her. Michelle Phillips, John Phillips' second wife, responded to the allegations: “[Mackenzie's] drug addiction for 35 years has been the result of many unpleasant experiences. Whether her relationship with her father is delusional or not, it is an unfortunate circumstance and very hurtful for our entire family.” The sad truth is backlash such as this prevents many survivors of incest and other sexual assaults from coming forward.
Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs does not pardon this type of behavior. According to the Connecticut State Law, if a person consumes alcohol and drugs, he or she cannot consent to sexual intercourse. Coming forward takes great courage, due to all of the trauma caused. “I can't be the only one this has happened to. Someone needs to put a face on not only non-consensual incest, but consensual incest, and I know that I can't be the only one who's lived through this. So in finding this redemption, maybe I'm helping someone else.” And Phillips is doing just that by speaking up.
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