![]() ![]() ![]() The prevalence of child abuse in serial killers is not a new topic. The aim of this research was to see if there is a relationship between an abusive childhood and serial killing later in life. The behaviors that are precursors to murder have been present and developing in that person’s life for a long, long time – since childhood.” – Robert Ressler, ‘Whoever Fights Monsters’Ī study carried out by Mitchell and Aamodt from Radford University in Virginia in 2005 aimed to explore the rate of child abuse in a large sample of convicted serial murderers and compare this against the rate of child abuse in the general population. “Let me state unequivocally that there is no such thing as the person who at age thirty-five suddenly changes from being perfectly normal and erupts into totally evil, disruptive, murderous behavior. ![]() While evidence has shown not all victims of child abuse grow up to be criminals or abusers themselves, there is a heightened risk associated with childhood trauma and anti-social behaviors for personality disorders and criminal activity in later adult life. The Relationship Between Serial Killers and Childhood AbuseĬhildhood abuse is a factor that has received much attention in the media and academic circles in recent years, fuelled by the claims of many serial murderers that they suffered child abuse at the hands of a parent or guardian. The factors which lead a person to embark on a quest to take the lives of others continue to perplex psychologists and criminologists trying to figure out what makes one person go on to be a serial killer and not another. Research into why such individuals kill and kill repeatedly has been abundant since this time and as science develops it continues to grow. ![]() The air of mystery when multiple murders are carried out by just one individual only adds to this intrigue. The infamous “ Jack the Ripper” case in Whitechapel in London in the 1880s sparked a national curiosity into cases of serial murder. Their results indicate considerably higher levels of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse in the serial killer study group. Researchers from Radford University in Virginia have compared the childhood abuse history of 50 convicted US serial killers classified as ‘lust killers’ against the rates of childhood abuse reported in the general population. ![]()
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