Could Child Abuse Make a Killer?

Could a history of abuse be the reason behind the actions of a serial killer?

Although child abuse is not a direct link to serial killing and not all serial killers suffer from child abuse, it is a factor in the pasts of many identified murderers. Child abuse may cause a lack of empathy or sympathy for others, and make it difficult to form bonds with other people. If their parents, the ones who are supposed to love them unconditionally, cannot teach their children how to love and care, how could the children possibly learn it on their own? If children do not form bonds with their primary caretakers, whomever they may be, there is little hope for them to be able to trust in others in their future. Child abuse may cause violent tendencies, and could physically and emotionally scar child. It not only affects them physiologically by increasing the possibility of violent tendencies, but affects their health, and could cause brain damage, malnutrition, and other developmental disorders. If children are exposed to too much violence, they may see that as a "first response" to changes and challenges. But if they are raised that way and taught no different, is it truly their fault? It is what they see as right, and no one has attempted to tell them otherwise or correct them. Things such as these could lead to a person being isolated from society, where they reside with their violent fantasies as their only means for gratification. Social interaction is generally not something that they are familiar with, and since they have rather detached emotional bonds, they have not developed empathy for other humans. All that humans are to some of them is means for their violent fantasies that have comprised their life. Some children, when subject to abuse, wish to reenact on others what has happened to them, as in the case of Jesse Pomeroy.

Of course these theories are not true for all children or serial killers. Not every victim of child abuse will become a serial killer and not all serial killers suffered child abuse. But could child abuse be a link as to why some people grow up to kill? Should their parents truly be the ones to blame for subjecting them to such torture? Or is it the sole responsibility of the child that was abused?