Final answer:
It is false that non-Western cultures lack incest taboos; these prohibitions against sexual relations with close relatives are universal, although specific cultural variations exist.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to the statement, it is false that incest taboos do not exist in non-Western cultures. In fact, the incest taboo is a cultural norm that prohibits sexual relations between close kin such as parents and their offspring, and is present in virtually every society, including non-Western ones. The scope of this taboo may vary, and who is considered too closely related for sexual relations can differ from culture to culture. Anthropologists like Claude Lévi-Strauss have suggested that such taboos are foundational to societal structures, distinguishing between familial relations and those available for marriage and other alliances.
Moreover, incest taboos play a role in the structure of different family systems, such as those of the Mongol society where a violation of these taboos was prohibited even within large polygamous households. In contrast, the Mosuo of China maintain a matrilineal system where women have children with men outside their family and raise them within their maternal households. Even with such diverse familial structures across various cultures, the general norm of avoiding incestuous relationships is a consistent theme. Thus, the presence of incest taboos across different cultures reflects a universally acknowledged boundary in human social and sexual relationships.