Table of ContentsIntroductionRecommendationsRecommendationsIntroductionIn the making of a serial killer, case studies reveal that many serial killers share a common pattern of physical suffering at the hands of a parent during childhood. It is therefore important to review and build on existing research to understand why some people commit multiple homicide crimes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayPhysical violence will be defined as “causing or permitting non-accidental physical injury to a child” (Mitchell and Aamodt , 2005, p. 41). ). And a serial killer will be defined, according to FBI standards, as “comprising three or more murders involving a fantasy component and separated by a period of emotional reflection” (Miller, 2014, p. 11). John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer. American serial killer who murdered 34 young men between 1972 and 1978 (Sullivan and Maiken, 2000, p. 369), based on his “aggressive psychosexual fantasies towards young men” (Knight, 2007, p. 27), thus meeting the requirements of the FBI. definition. As John Wayne Gacy suffered "physical abuse from his father during his childhood" (Sullivan & Maiken, 2000, p. 256), he will be used as a case study in this briefing to examine the evidence for physical abuse during his childhood. Childhood as a Trigger for Serial Murders Later in Life. Recommendations While serial killers fascinate and continue to dominate the pop culture landscape, research into the contributing factors surrounding multiple homicidal behaviors has been, at best, limited. However, recent research has found that "certain factors related to a serial killer's childhood may influence their future criminal behavior" (Keatley, Shephard, Golighty, Yaksic, Reid, 2018, p. 3), specialists in behavior having found that a significant proportion of serial killers were victims of physical violence at the hands of a parent during their childhood. One study stated that “more than 40% of serial killers were beaten and abused as children” (Ressler & Shachtman, 1992, p. 55). Another study concluded that of “88 of the most psychopathic offenders, 93% suffered physical violence. in childhood” (Borja & Ostrosky, 2013, p. 930). Therefore, although organizations such as the police and child protective services exist to intervene in abusive homes, unfortunately "many cases of child abuse go undocumented" (Mitchell & Aamodt, 2005, p. 44), because authorities “can only investigate and substantiate reports they have received” (Mitchell & Aamodt, 2005, p.44). John Wayne Gacy is an example of a serial killer who was physically abused as a child. From a young age, he suffered severe physical abuse at the hands of his father, including "regularly whipped with a leather belt" (Cahill, 1986, p. 18), as well as "numerous incidents of physical abuse that occurred produced without provocation. (Cahill, 1986, p. 33). Although not everyone who experienced physical abuse as a child becomes a serial killer later in life, another study found that in a sample of 25 lust-oriented serial killers, a significant percentage of “ 36% had experienced physical abuse during their childhood” (Mitchell & Aamodt, 2005, p.44). This led the study's researchers to conclude that those who had experienced physical abuse as children were "six times more likely to commit serial murder as adults" (Mitchell & Aamodt, 2005, p. 44)..45).