8 Prolific Female Serial Killers

[Gumshoe]

http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/20217.html

[Chris G.]

http://blogs.static.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/20217.html


Mmmmmm. What about Countess Elizabeth Bathory (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=0&oq=Bathorzy&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4SUNA_enUS307US213&q=elizabeth+bathory) also known as "The Blood Countess"? It would appear to me the Countess could give Vlad the Impaler (the model for Dracula) a run for his money.

Chris

[Stan Reid]

What about Catherine Deshayes of France who claimed to have slaughtered 2,500 infants in acts of human sacrifice? She was burned at the stake on February 22 of 1680.

[Jeff Leahy]

Just a quick observation on this. Is it not true that generally we have, on the whole, drawn distinctions between Male and Female?

Well let’s say abusers and murders?

Yet increasingly evidence suggests that women are equally capable of the same atrocities as men? Surely we should be very careful with profiling stereotypes.

White male, Lower class, broken family, socially inept. Etc?

I note the recent shock in the UK, about female sex attacks on children?

What you guys think?.

Jeff

PS Hi Stan how you doin?

PS PS me I’m still workin the computer at 1 am. I’ve been here since 7.00 am. VERY Nackered. Need a career change.

[Stan Reid]

Hi Jeff - doin fine. I can't get into Casebook any more. Apparently this old computer doesn't have the stomach capacity to devour all the cookies. I'm sure that breaks all their hearts.:clap:

Yes, I agree that women are equally capable of creating horrors although a smaller percentage seem to elect to engage in that behavior.

[Jeff Leahy]

Hi Stan

I've been listening to the recent sexual abuse scandals with interest in the UK.

There is clearly some shock that women can be, well as men.

I think its a 21st century phenomena we will see more of over the coming years....

Good to here from you

Jeff

PS Its now 1.30 in the morning and I'm still working...need a bath and bed!:emptybath:

Files almost uploaded!

I am however in a very good mood today, i start work on new projects soon.

[Ultra Violet]

I think women can be as violent and aggressive as men. But it seems a big taboo. It doesn't fit in with the general idea of how women should be.
From a traditional point of view women are caretaking and nurturing, but not abusive.
And the idea of the female abuser doesn't fit with a certain feminist attitude either: women are the victims of male aggression, not the other way round.

So I guess that we don't hear so much about female abusers is not based on the fact that they don't exist, but that it doesn't fit in with role cliches. And victims of female abusers, be it children or spouses, are less likely to be believed, if they even dare to tell anyone.

I've been doing a lot of reading over the last couple of months concerning serial killers in general, and stumbled over a couple of female serial killers, too.
What I find interesting though, that a lot of convicted female serial killers worked in nursing homes. The taboo to actively look for female serial killers doesn't seem so big in that area, and it might be because it still fits in with the idea of "nurturing" - say "nurturing gone wrong". One can still say that these women did it because they "didn't want the patients to suffer" and hence the euphemistic naming "Angels of Death".

But this leaves out the power issue in those cases. These murderers decide who gets to live and who gets to die and in what way the victim dies.
I'm not sure how likely it is that female perpetrators live out that urge for power over life and death only in that particular setting - not to mention other possible motivations for serial killing.

[Howard Brown]

Great to see you and your post,UV. Well stated position on your part and I can identify with what you present in several ways..

Not that it matters, but when I personally read about female serial killers, for some reason and I can't pinpoint it...they don't affect me like some ( not all ) male serial killers do. It might be because I see myself as a protector ( having two daughters ) of ladies in real life or I just have a blind spot. I wonder if other men on the Forums feel that way...that female serial killers, regardless of their deeds, are underestimated.

Again, good to see you back UV.