It was a headline waiting to happen: the "British Fritzl". And although the appalling incidents occurred in the past, the issue of what is taboo for social workers remains a relevant one.
The serious case review into the circumstances by which a Yorkshire father raped two of his daughters found that there had been a culture of social workers "having a quiet word" which contributed to the failures to help the family.
The case is made even worse by the fact that the sisters had been subject to child protection plans over a 10-year period.
On Radio 4's Today programme this morning, child protection consultant Joanna Nicolas discussed incest.
Although she said that procedures had changed drastically since the crimes were committed, she pointed to the difficulties in raising the subject in the first place.
She described "the look of horror on people's faces" when it was broached. She was referring to the reactions of social workers.
The anger that family members would feel should they be faced with such a proposition from a social worker could result in a dressing-down for that professional should the proposition be untrue. It would also be at the very least embarrassing for the family and potentially damage the integrity of that family.
Should the social worker be correct in their judgement, the headlines would be different from the ones in the press this morning. "Er, sorry", as The Sun preferred to put it, as if there was only begrudging remorse among the professionals and social services departments.
Yet we cannot ignore the failures that did occur. Incest might well be rare - Nicolas pointed out that she had come across only three or four cases over 15 years - but this case serves to prove the importance of information sharing and the need for child protection specialists to see children alone.
But first, they have to get past potentially aggressive parents. And they can turn out to be one mighty big obstacle.
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