Serial Killers: Childhood Influence

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Drilling a hole into the top of a man’s skull which he would pour sulphuric acid in (How Serial Killers are born). This process was acted out to make his victim brain dead: almost zombie-like. The victim would typically be dead within the day. Once the victim died, the murderer would dismember the body, disposing of the victim’s parts into vats of acid, except for the skull. (How Serial Killers are born) This was the mind of notorious serial killer Jeffery Dahmer, who murdered for his own impulse and desire. Over time as similar incidents occurred, scientists researched to try to understand why people would commit these horrendous acts of violence. (How Serial Killers are born) The key linking idea between nearly all serial killers was that they had all experienced a traumatic childhood. (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect, Serial Murderers and their childhood environments, creation of a serial killer) It can be said that a serial killer’s childhood can impact their life later on influencing the choices they will make.

What is a Serial Killer? Characteristically serial killers have been identified as a murderer who has taken the lives of three or more people. Serial killers are nearly always driven by their own psychological needs and a majority of the cases it would be the killer’s sexual fantasies that drove their violent tendencies (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect). Another important identifying characteristic about serial killers is that they have a cool down period between each murder. (Aggression and violent behaviour). The FBI has also made a serial killer profile: “White male, low-middle socioeconomic status, in his 20s or 30s, has a history of childhood abuse or neglect, is sociopathic and/or psychopathic, is a chameleon to his environment and can appear normal” (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect).

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The FBI has also announced that this is just a generalised stereotype and that serial killers come from all walks in life. It doesn’t matter what age, race or gender. Victims of serial killers tend to be complete strangers to the murder with no financial gain connections between the victim and the killer. This typically makes it more difficult for law enforcements to catch these people, with the only linking factor between each murder being symbolic meaning behind each victim. Serial killers usually kill their victims based on the fantasies that they have. (Netflix inside criminal minds) For instance, someone who had a violent and dominant mother may choose victims that resemble their mother and proceed to dominate, and kill the victim (Netflix inside criminal minds). Normally before the murder they would proceed to make his victim beg him to let them live by putting their life in the murderer’s hands, making him feel authoritative which can put them in a type euphoria mind set. This can cause sexual arousal at the fact that in his mind he is getting revenge for all that his mother did. Once dead, the murderer might participate in necrophilia behaviours on the body. (Netflix inside criminal minds).

One key traumatic experience most serial killers experience is child abuse. Child abuse can be well-defined as an act or multiple acts of violence that will always harm the victim (How Serial Killers are born). The person that most times would be abusing the child is his/her caregiver or parent: this parental figure can also threaten harm towards the child which can also be traumatic for the child. In cases of physical abuse, the child may be victim of biting, hitting, pushing, kicking, burning, genital mutilation, beating and being held underwater (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect). People who were exposed to this behaviour from their parental figures typically have a stunted growth in their own personal development as a consequence of the abuse they received as a child (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect). To take into account children who receive physical punishment from a parent, such as spanking, can also have a physiological impact on the child receiving the punishment (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect), however whether or not it was traumatic enough to say that these people will later become serial killer’s is still debated Serial Murderers and their childhood environments discusses that children have to experience. Child abuse affects children because it impacts their cognitive skills at a young age basically stunting them of any personal development. Usually consisting of poor emotional skills, most likely causing anti-social behaviours, these cases were more predominate in children who are not only exposed to acts of abuse preformed on themselves by a parental figure but also domestic violence of one or more of these figures (Serial Murderers and their childhood environments).

Children can be exposed to other forms of abuse, such as sexual abuse. Sexual abuse of children can be characterised as sexual exploitation of offspring; participating in the rape, prostitution, pornography or molestation of children under the age of consent. (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect) Children who are exposed to these experiences, without appropriate relations with parents or caregivers typically do not understand “normal” interactions. They find it difficult to intergrade into society especially when trying to begin a romantic relationship. This usually leads to frustration as they are confused and since they have not developed the correct coping mechanisms they can become violent towards their partners (Jeffrey Dahmer: Psychopathy and neglect, How Serial Killers are born, Netflix inside criminal minds). However, this up bringing doesn’t always mean that you are destined to become Murderous as Serial Murderers and their childhood environments discusses that these events can trigger mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, lack of self-confidence etc. but for these experiences to influence these people to commit these crimes they typically need to endure a traumatic experience that would destabilise their mental cognitive stability over time.

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Serial Killers: Childhood Influence. (2022, July 08). Edubirdie. Retrieved April 27, 2024, from https://edubirdie.com/examples/serial-killers-childhood-influence/
“Serial Killers: Childhood Influence.” Edubirdie, 08 Jul. 2022, edubirdie.com/examples/serial-killers-childhood-influence/
Serial Killers: Childhood Influence. [online]. Available at: <https://edubirdie.com/examples/serial-killers-childhood-influence/> [Accessed 27 Apr. 2024].
Serial Killers: Childhood Influence [Internet]. Edubirdie. 2022 Jul 08 [cited 2024 Apr 27]. Available from: https://edubirdie.com/examples/serial-killers-childhood-influence/
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