Sexual Murder: Catathymic and Compulsive Homicides

In this work of forensic psychiatry, Schlesinger (psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City U. of New York) describes his theory of sexually motivated homicide, which he argues are generally of two types. Catathymic homicides are caused by a breakthrough of underlying sexual conflicts, while compulsive homicides are driven by a fusion of sex and aggression. Methods of homicide classification are described and the psychological makeup of the two types of murderers is discussed. ...