Dr Oz: Women Who Kill, Murderess Profile, Why Women Kill & Help

Doctor Oz did a segment on his television show on women who kill.  Dr. Oz said that women do not kill very often, but when women do kill, it is usually for a different reason than when a man kills someone.  Dr. Oz said that men kill more often than women, perhaps due to the fact that men used to turn to violence to obtain a higher social status and partner.  Women in general are naturally the caretakers and nurturers, so are perhaps less likely to turn to violence and killing people.  Most people who get upset or angry, do not kill person and this is because there is a portion of the brain that intercepts such violent thoughts.  There have not been too many studies on women killers (a murderess), but many have been done on men.  However, Criminologists believe that the behavior and psychological state of male murderers cannot be applied to women so simply.  Susan Smith and Andrea Yates are some of the most famous women murderesses, but women account for 30% of the murders of family members and women also commit 10% of the murders in America.  There was Dr. Amy Bishop who went on a shooting spree when she didn’t get tenure at her university, but  most women use poison or suffocation to kill.  Dr. Oz was joined by Pat Brown (author of The Profiler: My Life Hunting Serial Killers and Psychopaths), a criminal profiler and Dale Archer, to do and get in the minds of women killers.  If we can identity a women who has a higher risk of killing a person, and get them help in advance, we can save lives.  So please read this carefully, think about the people you know, and share it with your friends and family.

Profile of a Murderess, a Woman Who Kills

1.  Who Do Women Kill

Men usually murder people who they do not know too well, and their motive is usually power, money, or reputation.  Homicides committed by women usually have a more personal or emotional connection.  Women usually kill someone they are very close with, have been intimate with and who were aggressive with them at some point.  Obviously, these are generalizations and some women do kill people they aren’t close with, but in general, women tend to kill a spouse (either their current spouse or a previous spouse), someone they are dating, a friend, a relative or her child.

2.  Where Do Women Kill

Women usually kill at home and do not really plan the murder.  Women kill usually when they see a good opportunity arise, and the commit the murder without really thinking about it.

3.  Why Do Women Kill – Motives

Women tend to kill when they feel desperate or when they feel they need to protect their children from abuse (physical or psychological abuse – whether real or just perceived) or life-threatening situations. Other women murder because it is more common in their community (especially in communities with gangs, violence and drug and / or alcohol addictions).

4.  Infanticide – Why Do Women Kill Children

Women who kill their children usually do so in a psychotic event and are usually severely mentally ill or are on drugs or alcohol.  Usually women will say that they could not cope with the idea of taking care of a child, manage the household and / or work.  These women often see murder as the only solution.

Look for the following signs, and if you see them in you or your friends or family, please seek help.

Signs of an Abusive Relationship

The definition of “Intimate partner violence” according to Dr. Oz is “any violence that occurs between 2 people in a close relationship.  It can happen once, or over a long period of time.”  Here are the types of violence to watch for:

1.  Physical Violence

Physical violence is anything that causes pain, harm or is unwanted physical contact, including (but not limited to): kicking, pinching, poking, hitting, punching, and beating.

3.  Emotional Violence

Emotional violence usually makes a person feel badly about herself and includes things like calling the person bad names or stalking.

Recognize an Abuser

Think about these factors both before choosing a partner and in deciding whether to stay with a partner, who could be bad for your health:

1.  Use of Recreational Drugs

2.  Abuse of Prescription Drugs

3.  Alcoholism or Drinking Very Often

4.  Violence or Abuse as a Child

5.  Unemployment

6.  Low Self-Esteem

7.  Mental Illness

8.  Aggression in Previous Relationships

9.  Extreme Jealousy, Controlling or Hypersensitivity

Help for Women

If you feel like you are going to snap, be violent, or commit murder… please know that there are other, better, “ways out.”  If you catch this early, you can keep the issues from escalating and compounding.  Some great resources are: the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline 1.800.799.SAFE (7233), Joe Torre Safe at Home Foundation, United States Department of Justice State Domestic Violence Coalitions and SafeHorizon.

And if you are a friend or family member of someone you think may be in trouble, say something.  If a person has a mental health issue, they cannot always reach out for help on their own.  If you know someone who is in an abusive relationship, or who cannot take care of their children, or who seems to be deeply depressed – reach out to them.