Introduction
This video presentation script explores the criminal behaviour of Aileen Wuornos, a convicted serial killer in the United States, through the lens of criminological theory. Wuornos, often labelled as one of America’s first female serial killers, was convicted of murdering seven men between 1989 and 1990. The purpose of this script is to explain—rather than excuse—her offending behaviour by applying Feminist Pathways Theory as the primary framework, supplemented by a critique using Gendered General Strain Theory. Additionally, this presentation addresses policy implications stemming from Feminist Pathways Theory to consider how such offending might have been mitigated or prevented. By examining Wuornos’ background and applying theoretical perspectives, this script aims to provide a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between individual experiences and criminality.
Overview of Aileen Wuornos’ Background and Offending Behaviour
Aileen Wuornos was born in 1956 in Michigan, USA, and experienced a profoundly troubled childhood marked by abuse, neglect, and instability. Abandoned by her parents, she was raised by her grandparents, where she endured physical and sexual abuse. By her early teens, Wuornos was engaging in survival sex work, a pattern that continued into adulthood as she drifted across states, often living in precarious conditions. Her criminal record began with minor offences, but escalated dramatically between 1989 and 1990 when she murdered seven men in Florida, most of whom were clients during her sex work. Wuornos claimed self-defence, arguing that her victims had attempted to harm her, though this was contested in court. She was convicted of six murders, receiving the death penalty in 1992 and executed in 2002 (Myers et al., 2005). Her life history, riddled with trauma and marginalisation, provides a critical foundation for applying criminological theories to explain her path to serial murder.
Explaining Wuornos’ Behaviour Through Feminist Pathways Theory
Feminist Pathways Theory posits that women’s offending is often rooted in gendered experiences of victimisation, economic marginalisation, and societal inequality. This perspective, developed by scholars like Daly (1992), suggests that women’s criminality frequently emerges from pathways shaped by abuse, poverty, and limited social support. In Wuornos’ case, her early experiences of sexual and physical abuse align closely with this theory. Such trauma, as argued by feminist criminologists, can lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms, including substance abuse or engagement in risky behaviours like sex work, which Wuornos relied upon for survival. Furthermore, her economic marginalisation—stemming from a lack of education and stable employment—restricted her options, pushing her into environments where violence was a constant threat.
Indeed, Feminist Pathways Theory highlights how gendered violence, both experienced and enacted, is often cyclical. Wuornos’ claims of self-defence, whether fully substantiated or not, reflect a perception of constant danger, arguably a product of her repeated victimisation. This theoretical lens explains her murders not as random acts of aggression but as responses shaped by a lifetime of gendered oppression and survival strategies in hostile circumstances (Chesney-Lind and Pasko, 2013). However, while this framework provides valuable insight into the structural and personal factors influencing Wuornos, it is not without limitations, which will be explored through an alternative perspective.
Critiquing Feminist Pathways Theory with Gendered General Strain Theory
While Feminist Pathways Theory offers a compelling explanation for Wuornos’ behaviour, it can be critiqued for its heavy focus on victimisation, potentially overlooking other psychological or situational stressors. Gendered General Strain Theory (GGST), an adaptation of Agnew’s General Strain Theory by Broidy and Agnew (1997), provides a complementary lens by examining how strain—negative emotions resulting from stressors—can lead to crime, with gender shaping the nature of these strains and responses. For Wuornos, multiple sources of strain are evident, including economic hardship, social isolation, and repeated interpersonal abuse. GGST argues that women, due to socialisation and structural constraints, may experience strain differently from men, often internalising emotions like anger or fear, which can manifest in extreme behaviours when coping mechanisms fail.
Applying GGST to Wuornos, her murders can be seen as a culmination of chronic strain, where repeated victimisation and societal marginalisation eroded her ability to respond non-violently. Unlike Feminist Pathways Theory, which foregrounds structural inequality, GGST places greater emphasis on emotional and psychological responses to strain, offering a more individualised perspective. However, a limitation of GGST in this context is its less explicit focus on systemic gendered oppression, which Feminist Pathways Theory addresses more directly. Together, these theories provide a more rounded interpretation: Feminist Pathways Theory contextualises Wuornos’ offending within broader societal failures, while GGST highlights the personal toll of unrelenting strain. This dual approach underscores the complexity of her criminality, resisting a singular explanation.
Policy Implications Stemming from Feminist Pathways Theory
Feminist Pathways Theory not only explains Wuornos’ offending but also informs policy interventions that could mitigate or prevent similar criminal trajectories. Central to this theory is the recognition that addressing gendered victimisation and economic inequality is crucial to breaking cycles of crime. For instance, early intervention through comprehensive child protection services could have identified and addressed Wuornos’ childhood abuse, providing trauma-informed care to disrupt the pathway from victimisation to offending. Policies enhancing access to mental health support, particularly for at-risk girls and women, are vital, as they tackle the psychological impact of abuse and reduce reliance on harmful coping strategies (Chesney-Lind and Pasko, 2013).
Moreover, economic empowerment programmes, such as vocational training and financial assistance for marginalised women, could have offered Wuornos alternatives to sex work, reducing her exposure to violence. Such initiatives, grounded in Feminist Pathways Theory, target structural barriers that disproportionately affect women, addressing the root causes of criminality rather than merely its symptoms. Additionally, reforming criminal justice approaches to consider gendered experiences—such as trauma-informed policing and sentencing—could prevent escalation by prioritising rehabilitation over punishment for women like Wuornos, whose crimes are often tied to survival. These policies, if implemented, could have altered her trajectory by providing support at critical junctures, arguably preventing her descent into serial murder.
Conclusion
This video presentation script has explored Aileen Wuornos’ offending behaviour through the primary lens of Feminist Pathways Theory, supplemented by a critique using Gendered General Strain Theory. Feminist Pathways Theory effectively explains how Wuornos’ history of abuse, economic marginalisation, and gendered victimisation shaped her path to serial murder, while GGST adds depth by considering the psychological strain of her circumstances. Together, these theories highlight the interplay of structural inequality and personal adversity in her criminality. The policy implications drawn from Feminist Pathways Theory, including early intervention, economic support, and trauma-informed justice practices, underscore the potential to prevent such offending by addressing root causes. Ultimately, Wuornos’ case illustrates the necessity of integrating multiple theoretical perspectives to fully understand complex criminal behaviour and the importance of proactive, gendered policy responses to mitigate these tragic outcomes.
References
- Broidy, L. and Agnew, R. (1997) Gender and crime: A general strain theory perspective. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 34(3), pp. 275-306.
- Chesney-Lind, M. and Pasko, L. (2013) The Female Offender: Girls, Women, and Crime. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
- Daly, K. (1992) Women’s pathways to felony court: Feminist theories of lawbreaking and problems of representation. Southern California Review of Law and Women’s Studies, 2(1), pp. 11-52.
- Myers, W.C., Gooch, E. and Meloy, J.R. (2005) The role of psychopathy and sexuality in a female serial killer. Journal of Forensic Sciences, 50(3), pp. 652-657.
