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Essay / Neglect, Abuse, and Lack of Parental Care in Ted Bund's Childhood
Growing up as a child, Ted Bundy experienced neglect, mental and physical abuse, lack of discipline and parental protection. These factors and more created one of the most notorious serial killers in history. He was a social outcast and didn't have many friends, which made him feel insecure and eventually caused him to fall into a deep, semi-permanent depression early in his life. His father was absent when he was 12 and, to hide his illegitimacy, he was adopted by his grandparents who, together with his real mother, convinced him that they were his parents and that his mother was his sister. This will later come to light and be revealed to Ted and only solidifies the strange and bizarre circumstances in which he grew up. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The social environment that Bundy experienced during his developmental milestones as a child was extremely unhealthy and dangerous for a child his age to endure. Financial difficulties due to low economic status and multiple children pushed Bundy further away from societal norms. He isolated himself from a young age and, as a result, received far less attention than some of his more demanding siblings. The possible direct trauma of sexual abuse is a huge factor contributing to aversion to intimacy and the desire to sexually abuse others in adulthood. The vicarious trauma Bundy suffered scarred him for life, desensitized him to sexual and physical violence, and caused him to further isolate himself from his family and peers. This poor quality and almost complete lack of family interaction left Bundy with a lack of attachment to anyone and caused him to place low value on other members of society. Since he didn't really have anyone to talk to, he became extremely shy and communication seemed foreign to him. He would be classified as a loner due to his lack of attachment, communication and the effects of the trauma he faced. Bundy exhibited criminal behaviors such as burglary and shoplifting from a young age to feel gratification and eventually gain a sense of pride. He also expressed feelings of anger and violence when he surrounded his aunt with knives while she slept in his bed. It could have simply been a cry for help, as children tend to be defiant when under extreme pressure, but it was one of the first signs of revenge against the women in his family. Bundy's past behavior can be used to determine the signature of his offenses. Bundy's stressors before the crime include his obvious hatred of women due to lack of a maternal relationship with his biological mother, rejection from the love of his life, and anxiety and pressure. 53% of murderers cite parental conflict as a major stressor, and Bundy is no exception. His mother's acceptance of his siblings built an unconscious jealousy for his sister so strong that he would use this hatred to fuel the murders he committed against victims sharing traits with that sister. The current state of mind that any murderer is in plays a big part in the motive. For Bundy, his depression was a constant challenge, as was the anxiety he felt when meeting women. To resist these pressures, Bundy would formulate a plan for success. Like Bundy, nearly half of all murderers say they only commit murderwhen they have a clear plan and have carefully prepared for the event. Exposure to events such as sexual abuse and stressors beyond one's control produced a need for revenge and a desire to feel powerful. As Bundy continued his crimes, he quickly developed necrophilia. After killing a victim, Bundy would gain satisfaction by having sex with the corpse. This behavior suggests that his motivation was partly whimsical and partly revenge. Bundy was never able to form a successful intimate relationship with a woman and was victimized by his mother, which caused him to backlash. These specific motivations required the victim to meet Ted's criteria. The similarities between his victims suggest that he preferred a thin woman, about student's age, who had medium to long straight hair, most often parted in the middle. A possible reason for the gender and age selection could have been to gain a sense of revenge on a victim sharing traits with his sister, or similar to his ex-girlfriend who broke his heart. After the murder, Bundy would decide what to do with the body. Having sex with the corpse was a common practice for Bundy, as was tending to the victim's body after death. If Bundy decided to take them to a final resting place, he would sometimes dress the women's bodies in different clothes, paint their nails, or apply makeup. Bundy was unpredictable in disposing of the body because sometimes he would go to the victim's home and kill them, and leave them there to be found, but more often he would lure them to his car and take them away elsewhere, and bury or dispose of the body. When Ted disposed of a victim, he would sometimes note where he had dumped their body, then return there to relive his fantasy and have sex with their decomposing corpse. The final location of these bodies also tells the story of the victim and how Ted may have felt about her. Some of his victims were decapitated and their heads were displayed in Ted's apartment as works of art. Others may have been buried near his home to hide a connection or good memory with this victim. Ted Bundy is known as one of the most organized serial killers of all time. Although he did not show a specific pattern, he took great care in planning and executing his murders. As a child, he suffered from a lack of parental involvement and discipline, which could be a possible reason for him to get his life in order. By having a defined plan, his own weapons, and a false sense of confidence, Bundy felt in control. He was also a very intelligent person, but he worked below his skill level, which left him dissatisfied with his life. He found fulfillment in showing his alter ego to his victims when they first met. He seemed very sociable as he came off as an average, easy-going guy. Posing as an injured young man, he instantly attracted the target's attention by appearing helpless and harmless. The crime scene presented a semblance of order in anticipation of the murder. He had planned what he would use to knock out the victim first and what he would do to him. He then cleaned the scene extremely well and disposed of the body without any trace of himself. Rather than using only physical force like a disorganized killer would, he would use a combination of verbal and physical force. Using his confident and persuasive alter ego, he gained the trust of these women by charming them, then initially used minimal physical force to get them into the car. He..