Why do serial killers kill?

+84 votes
asked Jun 4, 2019 in Culture & Society by Lucas (530 points)
edited Jun 8, 2019
Why do serial killers kill? This has nothing to do with school work, I simply wish to understand why serial killers commit such terrible crimes after the reports I have read on these serial killers. Thanks!

4 Answers

+25 votes
answered Aug 4, 2019 by Collin (1,370 points)
edited Aug 14, 2019

There are several factors that can make the serial killer take the life of his or her victim:

  1. Power and fears of rejection. All serial killers have a feeling of insecurity wherever they are, and are always irrationally afraid of being rejected. They try hard to make sure they do not build any strong relationship with the objects they desire the most and are mostly scared of being rejected, abandoned, exposed or humiliated. Most killers are known to engage in the highest form of intimacy: sex with the victims before they kill them. Some serial killers even have sex with the corpse of their victims after they have killed them. To them, this is one way of eradicating the possibility of being rejected. These serial killers enjoy watching their victims suffer for very long periods because it makes them feel powerful and in charge.
  2. Perfection. Some of these killers do so because they long to make a particular thing better than it is. To them, some categories of people such as prostitutes or women in general are very unclean people. So they feel by removing such unclean people, they are making the world a better place for mankind. Or, they believe that killing their victims by following some ritualistic manners most times helps purify the victims and redeem them of their shortcomings and wrongs.
  3. Addiction. Serial killers never stop killing simply because they have become addicted to the satisfactory feelings they get whenever they kill. They also make every of their actions and their behaviors seem rational in their minds to make sure they see no reason to stop once they start.
+9 votes
answered Jun 25, 2019 by Juan Ricardo (1,180 points)
edited Jul 6, 2019
I doubt if all serial killers have the same reason for killing their victims, there are several reasons why people who kill others do so. Some serial killers kill because they were victims of child abuse when they were quite young and defenseless, so they grew up feeling angry at the society and everyone for not being able to protect them. Some kill because of their love for money, while others do it simply because they derive pleasure from it, but there are several other reasons why serial killers never stop killing people.
+8 votes
answered Aug 13, 2019 by Cristina (800 points)
edited Aug 14, 2019
Nobody can really say he or she has the right answer to that question because every killing and every killer is quite unique. However, most people have their theories and reasons why people do the bad things they do. What interests me the most, though, is that these pet theories are partly rooted in the place of our birth.
0 votes
answered Jul 15, 2019 by Mariyam (800 points)
edited Aug 6, 2019
The reason why serial killers kill their victims can be grouped into four: hedonistic, power or control, mission-oriented, visionary; nevertheless, the motive of each serial killing may link two or more of these categories of motives together.
commented Mar 22, 2015 by Ashlee (790 points)
I agree with this answer for why do serial killers kill. Could you please provide more details?
Welcome to Instant Answer, where you can ask questions and receive answers from other members of the community.
...