Title: The Unique Motives of Female Serial Killers | Psychology Today
Headings: The Unique Motives of Female Serial Killers
Scott A. Bonn Ph.D.
The Unique Motives of Female Serial Killers
Women kill for very different reasons than men.

Content: Unlike male serial killers who are frequently driven by sexual lust, female serial murderers tend to take a much more pragmatic approach to their killings. Female serial killers are much more likely than males to kill for profit or revenge , and, therefore, they are more likely to fall into the category of a hedonist comfort/gain killer than any other type. Unlike male serial killers who usually target unknown victims, females tend to kill men who are emotionally and physically closest to them—particularly husbands or lovers—and they generally kill to improve their lifestyle. However, victims of female serial killers are not confined to male husbands or lovers. An important psychological study of 86 female serial killers in the U.S. found that their victims also included children and the elderly (1). The news and entertainment media have popularized the female comfort/gain killer in the cultural image of the "Black Widow." The Black Widow serial killer is a woman who murders three or more husbands or lovers for financial or material gain over the course of her criminal career. The Black Widow killer was featured in the 1944 classic dark comedy film Arsenic and Old Lace starring Cary Grant. This highly popular film tells the fictional tale of two sisters who murder elderly gentlemen by serving them elderberry wine laced with arsenic. Although they comprise less than 15 percent of all serial killers, females are very effective in their work and they typically use quieter and less messy methods to kill than their male counterparts.