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who were in military service received honorable discharges, and 1 of the 4 had a criminat history in the service. Two men received general dis- charges, three were dishonorably dis- charged, three had undesirable dis- charges, and two received medical discharges. The sexual performance of the offenders was generally at an auto- erotic (solo sexual activity) level. Al- though 20 men were able to state an age of first consenting sex to orgasm, they did not report an extensive, Peer- related sexual history. The ages of first consenting sexual experience ranged from 11 to 25. Of the 16 who did not report an age, it was clear to the interviewers that many never ex- perienced consenting ‘normal’ sex. There was an obvious preference for autoerotic activity. The interviews with the offenders revealed many expressions of low self-esteem Prior to the Murders. Many offenders felt a sense of failure beginning at a young age. Again, we can speculate on the importance of fantasy life. It appears that what com- pensates for poor Performance is the fantasy, in which the variables can be controlled. Resultant Attitudes and Beliefs In reviewing background charac- teristics for the offenders as a group, a pattern emerges as we look at issues critical to sexual homicide. Al- though the personal Strengths of the murderers (high intelligence, good ap- pearance, average socioeconomic family status, oldest son or first/ second born) are usually positive at- tributes for Success, something occurs which causes g negative out- come for these men. From the per- ceived quality of family structure and function, the history of abuse, the dominance of fantasy, the preference for solo sex, and the performance fait- ure of these men, the data suggest the emergence of certain attitudes. Devaluation of People The men in the Study experi- enced low social attachment, felt de- tached from family members as well as from peers, and did not experience the bonding through which People de- velop sensitivity toward other people. The murderers frequently described themselves as loners or as feeling dif- ferent from others their age. The re- sultant attitudes include beliefs that do not consider or are insensitive to the needs of others. Essentially, the offenders do not value relationships— they are self-centered, World Viewed as Unjust The men perceived discipline in the home, school failures, and other inadequate performance as Part of an unjust and unfair world. Their resultant belief is that other people are respon- sible for their fates. Authority and Lite Viewed as inconsistent These men view authority and_life as_ inconsistent, unpredictable, and unstable. As a result, the offenders do not value or trust authority. Obsession with Dominance through Aggression The intense desire to be strong, Powerful, and in control becomes an obsession to dominate through ag- gression. This desire resuits from the way the offenders responded to the abuse in their families. It was subse- quently manifested in their tantasies and later in their acts. 100 Autoerotic Preference The men reported few attach- ments to persons outside of the family. Rather, they admitted to an autoerotic preference (masturbation) that combined with fantasies of ag- gression and the realities of the abuse they were concurrently experiencing. Their visual interests (pornography, fetishism, and voyeurism) reinforced the sex and aggression. Fantasy is Reality The offenders’ active Participation in the social world is limited, and their efforts at performing and fitting in are frustrated. Their need for a sense of adequacy and mastery of life is noted in their development.of private worlds where fantasy and delusions predomi- nate. This retreat triggers the thoughts that dictate criminal behavior. Deviant Behaviors The data Suggest that the deviant behaviors of rape, mutilation, torture, and murder have some roots in both the offenders’ background characteris- tics and their attitudes and beliefs. (See fig. 1.) The deviant behavior identified at the crime scene provides some clues for understanding the type of criminal Personality responsible for the crime. Aape Rape is sexually deviant behavior that exhibits absolute disregard for the worth and vatue of an individual. Rape fantasies range from having: power and contro! over a victim to more vio- lent sadistic fantasies. Those who rape before killing are seeking to