Myths & the Female Psychopathic Killer

CE ARTICLE: 3 CE CREDITS The Last Frontier: Myths & the Female Psychopathic Killer Frank S. Perri, JD, MBA, CPA; and Terrance G. Lichtenwald, PhD n this article the authors focus on psychopathic women who kill. Not all women who kill do so because of men- CE ARTICLE CE I tal illness, abuse, or coercion. Some kill because they are antisocial and behaviorally exhibit psychopathic traits. In this article the authors examine some of the misperceptions of female criminality; current research on female psychopathy; and case studies of female psychopathic killers featuring Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, cesarean section homicide, fraud detection homicide, female kill teams, and a female serial killer. In addition, both the means by which the myths of societal perceptions influence how the criminal justice system operates when encountering these offenders and recommen- dations for law enforcement and forensic examiners who have to interact with them are addressed. 50 THE FORENSIC EXAMINER® Summer 2010 WWW.ACFEI.COM • (800) 592-1399 CE ARTICLE CE Summer 2010 THE FORENSIC EXAMINER® 51 Introduction psychopathic traits include case studies on When the authors speak of myths, what Within the past 50 years, industrialized Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy, fraud we are referring to is not necessarily the countries have witnessed the rise of women detection homicide, kill teams, female serial mythological stories of antiquity. Although filling positions traditionally held by men. killers, and cesarean section homicide. The these stories may be relevant, our reference At one time, women were not thought of authors further examine how the criminal to myths is the more colloquial basis of as capable of fulfilling such positions be- justice system displays the myth in terms some beliefs—which may or may not be cause of beliefs surrounding gender that were of how it influences homicide trials. The accurate—that are extrapolated from fact based on socio-cultural norms. Women were authors conclude by cautioning forensic or fiction and used to explain human be- deemed less intelligent than men; thus, the examiners and those in law enforcement to haviors, practices, societal ideals of a society, thought of a well-educated woman appeared not succumb to misconceptions of gender- an individual(s), or a segment of society. For foreign. Moreover, women were thought of based violence when interacting with female example, some beliefs may be based on a as the weaker sex and the thought of women psychopaths. fictional story that conveys a truism about participating in the military or in law en- human behavior, such as the Greek story of forcement was not tolerated. Yet as we have Societal Perceptions or Narcissus and the self-destructive behaviors observed throughout the decades, myths Misconceptions of excessive pride. Conversely, some beliefs surrounding what women are and are not may be based on an interpretation of truth- capable of have dissipated over time. ful facts that should not be used to provide The authors believe the area of female crim- “The great enemy of an explanation for similar but different sce- inality adheres to myths still accepted by the narios, though they may apply for a limited majority of society but has slowly been chang- the truth is very often purpose. For example, some women kill ing. While many areas of female progress are not the lie—deliberate, because they were abused; however, this attributed to the empowerment of women contrived and dishon- limited explanation should not be used as a historically, the study of female criminality general explanation of all motives for female (as opposed to the study of male criminality) est—but the myth—per- homicide. has only recently been linked to antisocial sistent, persuasive, and The authors understand the utility of behaviors instead of relying on socio-cultural unrealistic.” myths because myths may serve a useful pur- explanations. Common and legitimate expla- pose in explaining life lessons—the problem nations used to rationalize homicides com- that the authors observe is that the use of mitted by females include killing because of ~President myths lacks completeness when applied to a mental illness, coercion, or because they John F. Kennedy criminological elements. In essence, cultur- were abused (Follingstad et al., 1989). Such ally we have forgotten how the ancients may explanations, however, ignore the possibility have used myths to explain human behaviors that motives for both genders may be steeped The myth that females are not aggressive in more complete terms that were gender in antisocial behaviors where violence is not is being challenged in the literature as well neutral, such as the capability of depravity necessarily reactive, such as claiming self- as by the statistical evidence that influences by both men and women. For example, we defense to a physically abusive situation, but society’s view relative to the existence of have cultural archetypes such as Mother planned in a cold-blooded manner facilitated the problem of female aggression (Denfeld, Earth, which evokes a nurturing image of by those who harbor psychopathic traits to 1997). However, violent aggression is still the female gender. Conversely, the image of satisfy diverse motives. considered the province of men, one of the Mother Nature also evokes images of wrath The purpose of this article is not to ad- most pervasive myths of our time (Pearson, in which innocents are not spared; it is this dress whether there has been an increase in 1997). Male dominance, as expressed aspect of the myth that tends to be ignored female violence and its potential causes, or through aggression, has been historically sup- or denied when examining female aggres- to revisit already well documented statistics ported by a patriarchal society that viewed sion. Moreover, Freud and psychoanalytic CE ARTICLE CE that show males tend to engage in more female aggression as a threat and, as an ex- theory were influential in the evolution of violent crimes than women. The goal of this tension, unnatural and atypical (Jack, 1999). theories related to aggression; the influence article is to analyze homicides committed Dating back to at least 2500 BC, women of World War I on Freud’s views increased by women, the diverse motives for the kill, were considered subservient to men and his perception that aggression was mostly and the offender’s psychopathic traits that were punished for indiscretions according to male and instinctual (Jack, 1999). Women may facilitate the use of murder to satisfy a written Greek and Roman law (Steinmetz, functioned as a calming effect on the aggres- motive. The article reveals that the underly- 1980). However, times have changed and sive and/or sexual drives that moved men ing behavioral traits are gender neutral even women now participate in combat, work in to violent behavior (Beckner, 2005). Those though the methods and motives to kill law enforcement, and compete in the cor- women who did not repress their anger were may at times be gender specific and societal porate world (Beckner, 2005). As for their considered masculine, thus perpetuating the misconceptions still attribute gender specific criminal inclinations, Jack (1999) wrote, belief that aggressiveness in women was an explanations to crimes such as homicide. “And women hurt others. They abuse, kill, anomaly. From a societal perspective, this Some of the issues the authors tackle to inflict harm on the human spirit, and domi- assumption that aggression is an inherent support the position that motives to kill are nate others through pain and intimidation characteristic to males, as passivity is to fe- diverse and that some female killers exhibit ... Violence is not limited to men.” males, perpetuated a patriarchal structure 52 THE FORENSIC EXAMINER® Summer 2010 WWW.ACFEI.COM • (800) 592-1399 that was dominant until the feminist move- As author and editor of the New York Times disorder (ASPD) and is considered a subset ment of the 1970s and still influences certain Book Review, Samuel Tanenhaus, stated, “fe- of ASPD because the behavioral traits of a aspects of society today. Women who were male violence is stuck in a ‘time warp’ bound psychopath are more severe in terms of lack aggressive were labeled irrational and in need by themes of sexual and domestic trauma” of consciousness, callousness, and remorse- of psychotherapy (Beckner, 2005). (Wachter, 2010). Our belief in the intrinsic, lessness. While psychopathy has similarities Even from an evolutionary perspective, non-threatening nature of the feminine is de- to ASPD, which is characterized by a dis- Darwin’s views influenced societal percep- ceiving to both genders and actually exposes regard for societal rules including criminal tions of his belief that the success of human both to homicidal risks that are ignored behavior, psychopathy is not synonymous evolution was due, in large part, to the dif- because of long-internalized myths about with or to be confused with criminality or ferences between males and females (Jack female criminality. As we shall see in the violence in general. However, those who 1999). A female who exhibited perceived next section on female psychopathy, some of have psychopathic traits are more at risk for masculine characteristics (e.g. aggression) or the societal perceptions of female aggression committing crime and acting out violently a male who had feminine characteristics was may have influenced the lack of research on (Herve & Yuille, 2007). considered to be reminiscent of less devel- female psychopathy because it has not been The concept of psychopathy, however, has oped species (Beckner, 2005). Considering seriously explored until recently. We will been studied for several hundred years before the opinions of Freud and Darwin alone, also look at how the myths that still sur- Dr. Hare refined the concept, beginning with then coupled with religious and cultural round female aggression are used by female French practitioner Philippe Pinel.

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