What Drives People to Kill
On December 12, 2013, Singapore was shocked when a beheaded woman turned out in Whampoa River. The police identified the woman as Ms. Jasvinder Kaur, a thirty three year old wife from India. The police made investigations and they have identified two suspects – the husband and the friend of the husband. The friend was arrested but the husband left Singapore before the body was discovered.
The motive for the gruesome murder is yet to be uncovered. When we hear violent crimes, we often think that whoever did that acted like an animal. In truth, we are more than animals. Animals only kill when they are hungry or threatened. Humans kill for many reasons but we justify our violence and rationalize our aggressive behaviours. The good thing is we implement capital punishment for murder because no one has the right to kill other human. If you want to know what drives people to kill, here are some ideas:
- Passion: Most of the people kill because of their intense or overpowering emotion like hatred, rage and jealousy. The outburst of such emotions are so strong that it can drive others to kill.
- Revenge: Apart from crimes of passions, there are people who kill because they simply want revenge. These people believe that the justice system is not fair so they are putting justice on their own hands. Reporting to the authorities or forgiving is not an option.
- Gang: There are people who join violent gangs to make money quickly. Regardless of the nature of the gang, the fact remains that violence is part of their day to day activities. Gangs appeal especially for men and women who are lost and isolated in a certain place. The unfortunate thing is that once they enter, leaving is very hard.
- Mental illness: There are people who kill because of a mental illness. These people suffer schizophrenia, depression and paranoia. These people are vulnerable and mentally disturbed. If in a any case they feel threatened, they will surely strike. If proven guilty, these people can spend their time in psychiatric hospitals.
- Serial killers: Serial killers kill anyone randomly. The urge to kill is deeply rooted in their system. These people grew up from a dysfunctional family or environment. Some of the serial killers were victims of physical and sexual abuse when they were young.
It is sad to think that there are people who kill others easily. It is important that you understand the drives of people. Peace should be promoted but we cannot encourage everyone to follow the path because others have their own reasons. We hope that before they put justice in their own hands, they will think of the repercussions.
