We know only too well that by far the majority of psychopaths are men. Or at least we think we know that. Could it be that the criteria used to identify psychopaths are biased towards men? After all Hare began his work in male prison.
Think about it. While behaving and being the way the PCL-R without doubt earns one the label psychopath, this is simply a list of symptoms. It says nothing about the underlying dynamics. If psychopathy is life centered on the principle of power (as opposed to love) and if it is therefore characterised by what Liane Leedom nicely calls ‘warped empathy‘, then wouldn’t you expect there to be more or less the same number of woman as men psychopaths? And wouldn’t you expect them to come across differently?
I am beginning to wonder whether there may be two broad types of psychopathy – a ‘male’-type and a ‘female’-type. I place these in quotes because, when I think about it, men with might be thought of as ‘female’ psychopathy come to mind and we all know about women with ‘male’ psychopathy. And yet, at the risk of being un-PC, I want to maintain these descriptors for now so that the difference I think I see doesn’t disappear.
A ‘female’ psychopath would not necessarily commit crimianl/antisocial acts like her male counterpart, but she woud be as power-driven, as toxically narcissistic as a ‘male’ psychopath. The control, the manipulation, the dishonesty, the selfishness, the callousness – all these would be present, but we might not recognise them for what they are because of 1. media portrayal and 2. medical diagnosis of psychopaths. The difference would come in the gendered style of their behaviour.
In my clinical work I have come across this phenomenon. For example, a woman I now consider to be of the ‘female’-type of psychopath didn’t come close to committing a crime and yet the way she mothered her daughter, my patient, came close to destroying the child’s mind. This seems to me to be a perversion of motherhood eqivalent to the perversion of fatherhood we read about on this website.
Do readers have any comments? I’m particularly interested in any examples you might have of how ‘female’ psychopathy – if such a thing does exist – manifests itself?
Wini
Well quest remember, real people are going to be just like us on the blog … being a real pain in the butt to you and arguing right up front… so don’t believe the “ones” that want to schmmmmmmooooooze right up to you and tell you that you are the greatest, and where have you been all my life, and you’re my knight in shining armor, or we are two peas in a pod …oh, just pick a line any line.
Smile, it’s contagious.
Peace … have fun!
hens
Well just when i was thinking I was coming to grips with this it became even worse. I have mentioned before he stole my identity – well now it seem’s he did that in the literal sense. I don’t think I will ever see the end to this – how could anybody me so calculating and cruel -when all I ever wanted was to help him and love him. I tried to explain what has happened to me too my youngest son today – he just looked at me bewildered – I just don’t have my wit’s about me anymore – i suppose a judge will look at me in the same bewilderment – how can I explain what happened when I don’t really believe it did? Well back to bed under the covers……
Wini
Henry, Henry, Henry … you march right into that court (like the rest of us had to do/is doing) and you tell the court exactly what your EX did.
The courts are getting to understand that “we the people” are the new victims to their criminals … pretending to date/marry us.
I’m sure the judge has seen this same saga come into his court over the last few years … for we are the newest way that the criminals in society are making money, stealing money that we worked for, stealing our possessions, getting us to share their names on our titles/deeds/legal papers to make money or steal from us, our possessions.
CALL A CRIMINAL WHAT THEY ARE … CRIMINALS.
Peace Henry, it is a pain and I know you have better things to do … but the more people that go into court over what they did, the more the courts will see these criminals for what they truly are … and just maybe, maybe they’ll get prison time … for that is what they deserve.
Wini
Wini: correction … his/her court …
Iwonder
Henry,
Get out of bed and tell me what happened? Did he take a credit card out in your name or something?
hens
Iwonder – Don’t want to go in to detail – and not really sure of the extent – but insurance fraud – forgery – identity theft – I just learned of this last wed. have not been able to talk to anybody of authority and dont even know where to begin
Iwonder
Henry,
Holy crap! Can you run your credit report to find out what accounts were opened?
Ox Drover
Dear Henry,
FILE CHARGES!!!! Put the ass in the clinker! The Trojan Horse got hold of my husband’s social security number and took over my phone account. I knew he was doing it but couldn’t get anyone to believe me, even at the phone company (Cingulair at the time, AT&T now) I’d had the phone for 10-12 yrs (same number) and wanted to keep it but he ran the tab upo by turning it off and on, and deleting my address book (from on line) and all kinds of crap, so I finally just let the account die and didn’t pay the bill–what are they going to do, sue my late husband? Ruin his credit? Even my probate attorney thought it was all simple, but even he couldn’t get to talk to a REAL PERSON. I did file charges but the DA dropped them along with several others to keep out of a trial, so he only got 5 yrs, 2 suspended. AT least I can make him do the entire 3 yrs I think. He won’t come back up for parole til may of next year and I WILL BE THERE!!! His release date is Aug of 2010 minus “good time” so somewhere in the spring of 2010.
This doesn’t suprise me about M though. He is just a scum bag, but it won’t last forever, Henry, things will calm down. Take a big deep breath and say 500 times “this too shall pass!” And you know what, it WILL PASS. He thinks he is sooooo slick, but you know what, you and I, we are a couple of tough old red-necked buzzards, and we will pervail! Hang in there Henry, I think I will go “gunning” for him with my SKILLET, and when I catch him, he is TOAST—mashed flat! (((Hugs)))))
lostingrief
henry: keep your head up.
we’re all here to support you.
ox is right: file charges. courts are rife with this stuff.
watch judge judy; almost EVERY one of her cases involves some guy taking money from someone he was ‘dating’ and saying it was a ‘gift!’
then let ox use the skillet.
you’ll get through this.
peace to you.
hens
thank you LIG IWONDER OX DONNA – Just when I was getting to the point I didn’t feel the need of all the support here at love fraud to help me throught another day, this happens and here I am, the only place where I can find comfort and compassion. My X is so clever I feel as he will get by with this – but I will file charges and do whatever is necessary. I think he will look great in orange!!!