The ‘serial killer’ terms reign deep fear in the hearts of the majority of the population. Traditionally, the acts have been associated with males with women perceived to be conventionally caring and are compassionate to their fellow human beings and thus incapable of serial killing. However, in the recent past, the number of female serial killers is almost leveling that of males. In another instance, serial killing tactics and strategies are distinct as gender characteristics. Various studies have explained the differences through evolutionary features, male were hugely hunters and women taking the roles of gatherers (Wilson, Tolputt, Howe & Kemp, 2010; Farrell et al., 2013). As a result, the men have a tendency of stalking stranger victims motivated by an urge to mate and keep objects that resemble such a crime such as a victim’s body parts, watches, or cloths. Female offenders, on the other hand, are characterized by victimizing people well known to them motivated by the need to revenge or to “collect profit.” It is upon such differences that this paper will dwell on to show some distinct consistencies between male and female serial killers.
On the first note, before becoming serial killers, majority of the female serial killers have a history of fraud, theft money embezzlement as they are motivated by material gains. Even though they engage in serial killing for cash rewards, others are motivated by the desire of seeking attention as well as sympathy after the demise of somebody they once cared for (Miller, 2014). Most surprisingly, the majority find job as caretakers in the centers of care for senior citizens which give them a better opportunity to perpetuate their ulterior motives to such vulnerable populations. Male serial killers, on the other hand, have had a troubled childhood as well as mental health challenges that drive them in maiming as well as killing their victims.
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Secondly, the female serial killers to proceed with her egregious acts in a specified place that they are familiar with which is a reflection of the women's movements in the traditional and hunter-gatherer culture where they majorly collected fruits and berries. A study by Farrell et al., (2013), for instance, reported that over 44% of female serial killers did not migrate after committing their atrocities. When compared to the male hunters who often moved longer distances in search for prey, women as gatherers are tethered to a similar region in collecting fruits as well as plants within such regions. They never walked longer distances in public view but isolate their victims in their places of work or even in their homesteads. One case is Dorothea Puente who was working as a landlady in the Sacramento boarding house killed after robbing her elderly guests (Miller, 2014). She was a prototypical hedonist female serial killer motivated to gain material benefits from her victims under her care.
In certain occasions, female serial killers normally propagate their killing desires in collaboration with male or form part of a serial killing team. Under such a condition, the female exhibit more loyalty and serves the subordinate role of identifying the victims in an effort of pleasing the dominating male accomplice. Gerald and Charlene Gallego are a case example of a husband and wife serial killing collaboration where the duo killed 10 victim’s majority of whom were female girls they kept as sex slaves before killing them (Keeney & Heide, 2000). The selection of the victims was solely based on the sexual desire of Gerald Gallego who had more authority among the two in such a relationship of killings. A notable feature in a joint female and male serial killing is that dominance is still maintained by the male serial killer which points to the conventional male and female power differences that suppress the motivation of the female serial killers.
One exception point worth noting about female serial killers is with regards to Aileen Wuornos, a notorious highway commercial sex worker who murdered her victims in the outdoors other than in seclusion (Keeney & Heide, 2000). She also used gun other than poison which is typical of female serial killing. In addition, she also targeted strangers other than their families, and friends and was more inclined to personal glory as well as vengeance. It is, therefore, important to note that Aileen Wuornos rose to fame as one of the fierce serial killers due to the fact that she “killed like a man” (Keeney & Heide, 2000). As a result, female serial killers were portrayed by the mainstream media as deranged man based on the age-old societal belief that women were incapable of committing crimes of such nature. On the contrary, male serial killers exhibited their evolutionary masculinity in advancing their killing escapades.
Male serial killers have also exhibited a greater level of stalking of their unfamiliar victims with a major motive of killing them, majorly for sexual advances. Male serial killers tend to stalk, follow, and wait for the most opportune time to attack unfamiliar victims forcing them into submission. Such a condition is suggested by Mullen, Pathe & Purcell, (2000) to be predatory which was characteristic of an ancient man in his quest for food in a foraging environment. Similar opinions are shared by Duntley & Buss (2012) who reported that such stalking is characteristic of earlier man’s hunting escapades that followed persistency and patience in monitoring the victim’s routine practices, surprise attacks and the use of weapons. Women serial killers, on the contrary, are figurative “gatherers” of victims they are familiar with, the majority of who are closer relatives and their own children. A study by Farrell et al. (2013) reported that 80% of the female offenders were familiar to their killers with majority within their foster care. The study continued to note that the remaining 20% are the serial killer’s acquaintances, strangers and ex-lovers. Specifically, they target children as well as the elderly who are defenseless, under their care.
In another instance, male serial killers are associated with subjecting their victims into intense torture before death through disarticulation as well as victims’ butchery. It is in the same manner that a man was accustomed to, in the ancient period, disfiguring their prey into forms that makes it easy to carry or throw away or for easier storage for the sustenance of pleasure. In addition, they are prone to reserve “trophies” of their successful hunting that range from clothing, body parts, jewelry or victim’s blood for future fantasies (Keeney & Heide, 2000). Majority of the conventional hunters’ reserve trophies to memorize their successful kills like antlers in a similar manner that the ancient and soldiers of war in the modern period keep skulls of their disenfranchised enemy. Female serial killers, on the contrary, use non-violent strategies in killing their victims. The majority are prone to the use of poison and shooting their victims. In “The Sioux City,” 1925, Journal, Harrison, Hughes & Gott, (2019) reported that a remorseless woman poisoned 8 people comprising six teenagers half of which were her biological children. She stated that, “They bothered me, so I decided to kill them” (Keeney & Heide, 2000). The implication is that even though women's serial killing are similar in extent to that f males, they exhibit some level of concern by avoiding witnessing prolonged pain to their victims. Such an act exposes the compassionate nature of women as well as their level of responsibility that is unable to sustain experiencing sustained torture. It also depicts the true motherhood character exhibited amongst the females.
Furthermore, a major motive for female serial killers is profits. Despite the depiction of male serial killers to exhibit aggravated violence, female serial killers are also violent and can show no piety towards others. The women's aggression is highly intense, especially in conditions that require some level of defense, fight for the scarce resource (Keeney & Heide, 2000). They are accustomed to murdering their spouses or any other individual in exchange for monetary benefits which can be either in the form of insurance or familial inheritance tussles before proceeding to another person. A study by Harrison, Hughes, & Gott, (2019) deduced that majority of the serial killers are serial monogamists who have been married between 3 to over six times. They kill their spouses to be the heirs of the deceased estates shifting from one husband murder to another for similar reasons. They tend to conform to their ancestral forms which were marred by “gathering” resources in securing the sustainability of their families. Male serial offenders, on the contrary, are majorly motivated by sex with almost a third of male serial killers depicting higher levels of hyper-sexuality. They are likely to resort to sadistic sexual encounters that comprise of mutilation, binding, or even humiliation. Various studies have compiled evidence that suggests that male serial killers engage in necrophilia with some section pay visit to the decomposing body of the victim for the purpose of sexual contact. This is in contrast to female serial killers who are prone to quietly kill their victims without using any form of violence that can take the form of maiming or butchering the victims. It is less likely to encounter a woman serial killer who sexually assault a corpse or display any form of cannibalism or vampire-related behaviors. However, the female offenders have a history of negative sexual encounters such as sexual molestation.
Majority of the male serial killers are highly linked to those who are deficient of mates. In addition, more male offenders were either from a socioeconomically deprived background with limited education when compared to their female counterparts. Such an observation is commensurate with the 2005 Federal Bureau of Investigation survey that reported that demystified the media belief that the majority of the offenders are “evil geniuses” (Ferguson, et al., 2003). It is similar observation that can be attributed to the increasing number of male serial killers who have adopted since stalking, laying traps, as well as the separation of female victims from their protective relatives as well as social settings, will likely elevate the opportunities for sexual exploitations. It is also perceived to be associated with reduced coercive associated costs that rely on fitness. Such an approach adopted by stalkers including spying, monitoring as well as recording the trends of the prey’s social network have the capacity to enhance surprise attacks with a minimal amount of retaliation (Ferguson, et al., 2003). The women, on the contrary, are more motivated by the end result and not the process of killing. They are typical of strangling, poisoning or smothering their victims. They are also tactful and use their charms to waylay unsuspecting males. They appear to be motivated by sex which leads to the segregation of the male victim from the majority where they plan to execute them.
Surprisingly, majority of the male serial killers are prone to attending the funerals of their victims as a strategy to relieve the murder as well as future material for fantasy experiences. They routinely return to the graves of their victims either formally or under disguise, especially amongst the murderers who were motivated by the desire for emotional as well as psychological wellbeing. Some women serial killers also resort to killing to satisfy their desire of seeing their victims get buried (Ferguson, et al., 2003). The famous Martha trials, for instance, confessed that she had an irresistible urge to attend funerals and whenever there were no funerals in her neighborhood, she had a greater drive to create through killing them. However, most of the women serial killers are not willing to attend the funeral of their victims which suggests some level of remorse or level of guilt that preoccupies their mind after committing the act. Kerry Daynes, a consultant forensic psychologist, for instance, report those female serial killers are highly “practical and clean” in their murders (Ferguson, et al., 2003). They resort to adequate violence in satisfying their killing needs and once done they don’t pursue the deceased more.
On the weapon use in maiming as well as killing their victims, male serial killers have a tendency of the use of hands-on strategy through the adoption of knives as well as other non-sharpened objects in perpetuating the crime (Ferguson, et al., 2003). They are motivated by the need to depict greater use of internal power or domination of the victim while killing them. The popular methods comprised of asphyxiation, stabbing, shooting in close ranges and using a blunt force as well as poisoning. However, female serial killers preferred poisoning, especially where the victim is perceived to be more powerful than the female serial killer.
Male-associated serial killing can be linked to fitness psychology’s extreme byproduct since failure to murder was initially attributed to diminished status, entrenched retribution or even punishment by the ancient populations. It is the same fear that has preoccupied certain male serial killers to affirm their authority in their social spaces. Consequently, the majority of the victims to male serial killings are women in their prime ages. Similar sentiments are shared by Archer (2004) and Wilson, (2007) that suggest that larger and heavily built and aggressive males subjects women into sexual coercion owing to the evolutionary environment adaptedness. Men who are economically deprived are at greater threat from the advancing status of women with Haggerty (2009) reporting that the bragging of male serial killers can be attributed to such gender tensions. Female serial killers, on the other hand, mostly kill the older as well as children which are normally considered as allomothering gone sour. Murdering persons with blood relations is of course, a demonstration of the antithesis of reproductive fitness.
Male serial killers are easy to be detected and apprehended when compared to their male counterparts. This is in the backdrop of the fact that one in every six serial killers in the United States is a woman but the statistics points to higher serial killing prevalence in males than females. This might be attributed to the perception that women are less likely to depict aggression than their male counterparts as society views them as “nurturing caregivers” (Ferguson, et al., 2003). In addition, they normally execute their killings under quietness with the majority of their victims their close relatives as well as their own children or spouses. Other than the “quiet killing,” is the reality that majority of the women serial homicides achieve their objective without any form of confrontation when compared to their male counterparts (Ferguson, et al., 2003). Since the female serial killers were identified, for instance, few of them were perceived to have the capacity to mutilate the bodies of their victims which is likely to raise an alarm and thus can go for long without being detected.
Even though the current crop of serial killers is motivated by similar reasons, the gender elements do not fail to distinguish the two. Current research, for instance, suggest that majority of the serial killings undertake to pursue their acts as a means of expressing their rage as well aa control. In Female Serial Killers, for instance, there is a perception that stealing of some of the property of the victims by the typical “black widow” suggests some motivations for material gain but the collection of souvenirs by the male perpetrators, in contrast, connotes the urge to sustain the control even after the death of the victim. In another context, even though conventionally, the “black widow” is seen as a reflection of the ancient Victorian, the overall intention of the perpetrator is influenced by gender (Ferguson, et al., 2003). Generally, the motives of female serial killers are vision oriented while those of their male counterparts are hedonistic.
Amongst the male serial killers, the majority are the elder son in their families. This implies that they have been subjected to deprived motherly or fatherly care and are thus bitter. In addition, the majority have been raised up in broken homes like that of divorced parents, widows or widowers, adopted or single mothers or fathers. In contrast, most of the female perpetrators are from stable backgrounds but have been suggested to be predisposed to mental health problems such as bipolar disorder or have experienced heartbreak from their lovers who have left them with children to singlehandedly care for (Ferguson, et al., 2003).
In conclusion, gendered serial killing differs in various forms. Female serial killers are quiet killers, kill in familiar territory, are familiar with their victims, and are not accustomed to attending the funeral of their victims. In addition, they are motivated by the material gains from such murders. Their skills are typical of the gathering nature of the female gender in the ancient periods. Their male counterparts depict a greater level of aggression, move longer distances to stalk their victims, kill strangers, and are motivated by the search for mates or sexual exploitations.
References
- Archer, J. (2004). Sex differences in aggression in real-world settings: A meta-analytic review. Review of General Psychology, 8(4), 291-322.
- Duntley, J. D., & Buss, D. M. (2012). The evolution of stalking. Sex roles, 66(5-6), 311-327.
- Farrell, A. L., Keppel, R. D., & Titterington, V. B. (2013). Testing existing classifications of serial murder considering gender: An exploratory analysis of solo female serial murderers. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 10(3), 268-288.
- Ferguson, C. J., White, D. E., Cherry, S., Lorenz, M., & Bhimani, Z. (2003). Defining and classifying serial murder in the context of perpetrator motivation. Journal of Criminal Justice, 31(3), 287-292.
- Haggerty, K. D. (2009). Modern serial killers. Crime, Media, Culture, 5(2), 168-187.
- Harrison, M. A., Hughes, S. M., & Gott, A. J. (2019). Sex differences in serial killers. Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences.
- Keeney, B. T., & Heide, K. M. (2000). Gender Differences in Serial Murderers (From Serial Killers, P 54-63, 2000, Louise Gerdes, ed.--See NCJ-182588).
- Miller, L. (2014). Serial killers: I. Subtypes, patterns, and motives. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 19(1), 1-11.
- Mullen, P. E., Pathé, M., & Purcell, R. (2000). Stalkers and their victims. Cambridge University Press.
- Wilson, D. (2007). Serial killers: hunting Britons and their victims, 1960 to 2006. Waterside Press.
- Wilson, D., Tolputt, H., Howe, N., & Kemp, D. (2010). When serial killers go unseen: The case of Trevor Joseph Hardy. Crime, media, culture, 6(2), 153-167.
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