Influence Of Childhood On Serial Killers 

What is a serial killer? A serial killer is someone who has taken the life of three or more people on multiple different sets of occasions. Sometimes they react on instinct, or sometimes little things set off their minds and cause them to lash out in aggressive and violent ways. Many factors play a part in what causes these vicious and irrational human beings. Some of them start off as emotionally abused, physically abused, and/or neglected as children. Traumatic experiences like these can lead them to have post-traumatic stress disorder and may lead them to fail in the category of emotional attachment and sexual relationships with others. The emotions of a serial killer play a huge role in who they become later on in their adult life. These factors may cause them to grow up with anger issues, and taking the lives of others may be the only way they believe could help them release all the built-up anger they have kept inside their whole lives. Charles Manson, an American criminal and cult leader, grew up in an environment full of abuse and neglect. Manson’s mom who was in and out of jail, influenced Manson as a young boy to follow in her steps, which led him to spend much of his time in a Juvenile facility throughout his childhood and young teen years.

Edmund Kemper, another famous serial killer, lived with his alcoholic mother and two sisters. His mom, who he had a difficult and complicated relationship with was very critical of him throughout his whole life.“Edmund Kemper born on December 18, 1948 at age fifteen killed both his grandparents to see what it felt like” (Biography.) He started by picking up female hitchhikers and then ultimately releasing them, he then began to escalate to not letting them go; which ended up leading him to eventually murder six women in Santa Cruz. He also murdered his own mother in 1973 and then turned himself into the police after the fact. Kemper had a troubled childhood after his parents divorced, and he was forced to move in with his mother and two sisters. His mother was an alcoholic which whom he had trouble connecting with at an early age. When he was only ten years old his emotionally abusing mother forced him to live in their basement away from his sisters. His mother did not trust him and thought he would harm them in some way, shape or form . Kemper’s very first victims were the family cats, he buried one alive and a few years later butchered the other with a knife (Biography). I believe he acted out in such a horrible way towards his mother because all his life he was humiliated by her and he took advantage of the fact that he was much bigger than she was. Kemper showed signs of violence from a very young age, it was only a matter of time before he acted upon his dark fantasies. He acted out, children do that; but he acted out in aggressive and violent ways. He believed that his childhood was enough to justify his actions, serial killers believe what they’re doing is their only fulfillment for that empty hole they have. They search for some type of affection and reassurance that they never had throughout their childhood.

Loneliness can also lead to the making of these crimes. Ted Bundy was socially awkward as a child, his behavior later led him to become a serial rapist and murderer. At times if a person in their early life becomes lonely they turn to their imagination, creating fictional events to add some thrill to their lives. The effectiveness of loneliness can cause serial killers such as Ted Bundy to act out viciously due to a small amount of human interaction or affection.Bundy did not fit in with his classmates as a child because he lacked basic social skills, in high school he was still a loner and didn’t pay attention to girls. But Bundy did enjoy reading fiction stories that were filled with gore such as rape and murder. Bundy’s mom and stepdad created a materialistic young man; which would cause Ted to fuss when he was declined his wishes. His first documented fantasy was about him being adopted by movie stars who were able to give him everything he wanted and more. As Bundy grew older he discovered pornography, wanting to dig deeper into this he began looking into woman’s bedrooms. Bundy began to fantasize about the women he saw while he peeped through the windows. Provoking him to read books with gruesome details based on sexual activities and murders. Giving him the knowledge of sexual activity, gave him the encouragement to viciously do these acts in reality. This all being done, due to him trying to fill his loneliness with imaginary companions that made him feel loved and wanted. Ted craved attention and love which he did not receive as much as he craved. Which led him to kill many young woman later on in his life (Biography).

Craving attention is also something that forms serial killers. The media glorifies serial killers. Most serial killers take full advantage of the fact that the media portrays them as the dominant culture. Giving them this type of attention may give them some type of fulfillment and attention that they crave and desire; they receive interviews, newspapers about them, and as vile as it sounds even fan letters. They make it seem as if serial killers are everywhere although your chances of meeting one are slim. Axeman of the New Orleans, for instance, would send letters to the press during his killing spree, and would explain the details of each killing. Liking the attention, he laid low for a few months, surprising his ‘audience’ with a new way of killing. Same goes for the notorious Zodiac killer who almost everyone has heard of. He was a serial killer in Northern California in the 1960s, he would send letters to the press about how he killed his victims and how he wanted to be put on the front of newspapers or he would kill more people; he was never caught because he was always very careful of his killings and the police over ever had one real suspect who had a heart attack and unfortunately passed away before he was punished and before we could find out the truth; was he the zodiac killer?

Serial killers are shaped through their childhoods, their personalities make them who they grow up to eventually be. If they are abused or emotionally traumatized as children there is a possibility they will grow up to be violent, searching for some type of fulfillment to make them feel good. They grow to be extremely manipulative and take the lives of others for their own sick fulfillment and pleasure. The relationship between child abuse and serial killing has been plausible in studies throughout the years. Serial killers are exclusive in this world shaped from a person of their own circumstances and experiences and the portrayed visions of the media. Although these causes are not certain, these factors affect the lives of many; creating what the world glorifies and fears.