Serial Murder

Paraphilias

Researchers agree that serial murders tend to be sexually motivated and often exhibit paraphilias. According to the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV), paraphilias occur in individuals who obtain sexual arousal and gratification from sex acts that are considered to be atypical or extreme with respect to cultural norms. Paraphilic behaviors are much more prevalent among males than females and may be a manifestation of unresolved conflicts during a person's psychosexual development. While paraphilias may vary from person to person in their intensity, frequency, and duration, the behavior must last at least 6 months for there to be a clinical diagnosis.

The literature on serial killers is replete with examples of lust murderers who were fueled by deviant and abnormal fantasies. Albert DeSalvo, also known as the Boston Strangler, is a prime example of an individual plagued with gerontophilia. During the 1960s, DeSalvo raped and strangled elderly females to death for sexual purposes. While it is true that DeSalvo also murdered young women, 8 of his 13 victims (62%) were above 55 years of age. The serial killer Jerry Brudos found sexual gratification by sometimes substituting shoes for a sexual partner. At an early age, Brudos developed a fetish for women's shoes, especially those which were black and spike heeled. It is also not uncommon for serial killers to engage in necrophilia, which entails having sexual relations with corpses. Jeffrey Dahmer, who murdered 17 men, is particularly known for engaging in this act. In fact, Dahmer even went so far as to drill holes into his victims' skulls in an attempt to make zombies out of them. Dahmer had extreme abandonment issues and fantasized about having sex slaves who would never leave him. Other serial murderers have engaged in anthropophagy where they eat their victim's flesh. Edmund Kemper, a sexual sadist who shot, stabbed, and strangled female hitchhikers on one occasion sliced off body parts of his victims and cooked them in a macaroni casserole. Researchers contend that the element of fantasy plays an important role in facilitating the above type of behaviors.

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