Serial Killer Essay

Murder: one of America's most gruesome fascinations. Various streaming apps, podcasts, and television channels have a plethora of episodes based on murder and the criminal mind. People like Jeffery Dahmer, Ted Bundy, and John Wayne Gacy are a few of the most notorious killers who feed into the adrenaline rush. While their names are well known and their monstrous crimes have been retold through various mediums for decades, few people think to compare the similarities between some of the most heinous characters of modern American history. Many infamous murderers have one thing in common: a childhood that many people would find appalling. A serial killer, by definition, is someone who kills three or more people, often through a single shooting

Childhood trauma, a well-studied topic, is a distressing experience that can take a significant toll on a person's development throughout life. While not every serial killer experiences childhood abuse, there are many instances where a history of abuse and neglect has been prevalent. According to the National Library of Medicine, trauma often leads to anger and the desire to exert control. For many, this comes in the form of expressing criminal behaviors. Author, Fiona Guy, a freelance criminal psychology researcher, informs that researchers reveal “40% of serial killers interviewed report being physically beaten and abused in their childhood while 70% reported they had witnessed or been a part of sexually stressful events as children” (Guy, 2022, para. 4); leading to the suggestion that this has contributed to their behaviors later in life. Most serial killers experience something traumatizing that likely impacts their psychological development. Children who have abnormal experiences growing up have trouble expressing and dealing with emotions (Peterson, 2018, para. 8). Children who are exposed to chronic stress are often unable to recognize or process the emotional impact of their experiences, resulting in the internalization of stress and the externalization of their

A study conducted by Meher Sharma, Department Head of Psychology at Eastern Illinois University, claims that children abandoned or adopted at an older age, are more likely to have aggression which can be executed poorly if not treated with something like therapy. Sharma (2018) found that among a group of “62 male serial killers, 48% faced some kind of rejection by either parent or another important person in their life” (p.18). A child's inability to form emotional attachments may result from unstable or unhealthy relationships. Gein, the inspiration behind Silence of the Lamb’s Buffalo Bill, had no social life beyond his extremely abusive mother, once she passed Gein began to murder and collect body parts of women who shared similar physical characteristics as his mother. While childhood neglect does not excuse morbid actions, it can give insight into why some individuals are more likely to develop into violent killers. Early identification of mental health issues can help to prevent the situation from worsening. Early intervention can also help to reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, allowing teens to get the treatment they need more quickly. Understanding the factors that contribute to one's development can prevent future tragedies.

Nature versus Nurture

Not all serial killers are victims of abuse and not all who are abused become serial killers. The