"Serial killers captivate the public's attention. They create community turmoil as one murder unfolds into a series of murders. Infamous serial killers like "Son of Sam" David Berkowitz, "Boston Strangler" Albert DeSalvo, or "Jack the Ripper" terrorized millions in New York, Boston, and London. These marquee serial killers and countless others are all male and are frequently psychopathic. But what about female serial killers? Do they exist, and how do they compare?"
"Though it is rare, women can be and are serial murderers. As part of her research, Harrison and her team examined records of U.S. cases dating back over 200 years. They defined a serial killer as someone who intentionally murdered three victims with a "cooling-off" period of at least one week between murders. This definition was designed to differentiate from mass murders or spree killing."
Female serial killers are rare, comprising roughly 0.3 percent of murders under a definition requiring three intentional victims and at least a one-week cooling-off period. A historical cohort of 64 female serial killers was identified from 1821 to 2008. Most female serial killers came from middle-class backgrounds and held varied occupations; 39 percent worked in health-related positions such as nurses or aides. Seventy-seven percent of female serial killers used passive means like poisoning or asphyxiation. Overall, serial killers account for about 2 percent of murders, and female perpetrators are not uniformly psychopathic.
Read at Psychology Today
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