WK4 Discussion: Victim Vulnerability

Throughout our country’s history, serial killers have murdered the people who were the

least powerful. Their demise becomes a ritual of social cleansing by those who dare to wash

away these undesirable elements (Victims of Serial Killers.pdf). For a serial killer, a vulnerable

group is a prostitute or homeless person, someone the killers can attack without attracting much

public attention. Between 1970 and 2009, 22 percent of confirmed serial murder victims in the

United States were known, prostitutes. And the numbers are rising: sex workers made up 43% of

victims in the last decade (Janos, 2020).

Many prostitutes are vulnerable because they are more inclined to go to a secluded

location with their johns beyond police detection. Prostitutes also fall victim to serial killers due

to drug dependency, exploitation by others, and poverty. When prostitutes go missing or are

victimized, they are less likely to report the crime. Often a missing person report is not filed by

friends and family of the victim because of their illegal profession. In the case of Anthony

Sowell, dubbed "The Cleveland Strangler," the victims who survived his attacks either did not

report the crime; or did so but were disregarded by law enforcement because of their lifestyle.

Just as the psychopathic serial killer depersonalizes his victims, society dissociates these victims

from the human race because of the irritant symbols they represent (Victims of serial Killers.

pdf).

Female serial killers tend to target murder friends, family, acquaintances, and those

around them, usually for financial gain. Women are more likely to use poison because it requires

less physical strength and is, in some cases, more challenging to detect. Men, victims are usually

women to satisfy their sexual desires and have no connection to the victim.

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References

Egger, K., and Egger, S., (n.d). Victims of Serial Killers The “Less-Dead” Retrieved from

https://class.waldenu.edu. pdf.

Janos, A. (2020). Why are sex workers often serial killer's victims of choice? A&E.

https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/why-do-serial-killers-target-sex-workers.

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