Sexual Murder - Justicia Forense

author describes the tormentor as a person who usually dies at the hand ofa family member whom he has persistently badgered. As an example, hereports the case of a woman who suffered for years from the behavior of heralcoholic husband. Provoked beyond all measure, she impulsively killed himduring an argument.Perhaps the most practical approach to victimology — an approach thathas most relevance to understanding sexual murder — comes from lawenforcement. Mental health professionals seek to explain the personality andbehavior of a murderer through psychological concepts, whereas law enforcementofficers seek to apprehend unidentified offenders through investigativeconcepts (Douglas, Ressler, Burgess, and Hartman, 1986; Geberth, 1981;Jackson and Bekerian, 1997; Rossi, 1982). Since it has long been recognizedthat there is usually a close relationship between offender and victim, a studyof the victim may unearth clues to the identity of the offender. Even in caseswhere a murderer does not know his victim, his selection of that victim rarelyis random (Lunde, 1976). Thus, from an investigative perspective, informationabout the victim is as essential as any other type of information obtainedfrom a crime scene.Investigative profilers therefore attempt to gather a complete history ofthe victim (see Table 1.3), including background, habits, and resistanceTable 1.3 Background Information Needed toAssess Level of Victim Risk• Lifestyle• Employment• Personality• Friends (type, number)• Income (amount, source)• Family• Alcohol/drug use or abuse• Normal dress• Handicaps• Transportation used• Reputation, habits, fears• Marital status• Dating habits• Leisure activities• Criminal history• Assertiveness• Likes and dislikes• Significant events prior to the crime• Activities prior to the crimeSource: Adapted from Douglas, J.E., Burgess, A.W., Burgess,A.G., and Ressler, R.K., Crime Classification Manual, JosseyBass, San Francisco, 1992, p. 12.