06/09/2025
Women Who Kill:
Female involvement in violent crime and homicide is a topic with significant research and media attention.
Key Points:
Prevalence: Women make up a much smaller percentage of violent offenders compared to men.
Arrest rates: While the overall number of women in the criminal justice system is lower than men, their arrest rates for violent crimes have been increasing.
Types of violent crime: Women are more likely to be involved in specific types of violence, such as simple assault, compared to more serious violent offenses like r**e or sexual assault.
Victim-offender relationship: Female violent offenders are more likely to have a prior relationship with their victims (intimate, relative, or acquaintance) compared to male offenders, who are more likely to harm strangers.
Motivations: Research suggests that motivations for female serial killers often differ from those of males. While males are more likely to kill for sexual gain, females often kill for financial gain or power, and revenge has also been a noted motivation in a significant percentage of cases.
Methods: Female serial killers tend to use less violent methods, such as poison or asphyxiation, and are less likely to sexually assault or physically mutilate their victims.
Victim Selection: Female serial killers are more likely to target vulnerable victims they know, such as the elderly, ill, or children.
Serial Killers: While rare, female serial killers do exist. Notable examples include Aileen Wuornos and Dorothea Puente.
Mental Health and Trauma: Female offenders are more likely to have experienced childhood abuse and trauma, as well as mental health and substance abuse issues, which can contribute to their offending behavior.
Media Portrayals: The subject of female serial killers has gained popularity in true crime media, which often explores the psychological and societal factors contributing to their crimes.
