Serial killers specifically target gay men, expert says
A top criminologist has said gay men are specifically targeted by serial killers.
David Wilson, a Professor of Criminology at the university of Birmingham, made the comments during a 5Live discussion on convicted serial killer Stephen Port.
Prof. Wilson explained that, “Gay men are by and large one of the groups of people targeted by British serial killers.”
He said homophobia makes homosexual men a particularly vulnerable group to attack.
“Gay men are vulnerable to attack by serial killers because of homophobia.
“How society reacts to structural conditions like homophobia creates the circumstances that make some men more vulnerable than other sorts of men.”
He added that other groups marginalised in society, such as sex workers, are also particularly vulnerable to attack, and sometimes don’t receive the same reaction to their deaths as other groups in society do.
The criminologist also explained that factors such as social media and dating apps have made gay men more vulnerable.
“Gay lifestyle can place some men in vulnerable positions and social media changes the nature of how murders will operate.
“There are elements of gay men’s lifestyles that make gay men vulnerable to attack.”
Two men were sentenced for murdering gay men they met on dating apps this week.
As well as serial killer Port, 18-year-old Ben Bamford was found guilty of murdering a former adviser to George Osborne who he’d met on Grindr.
LGBT rights campaign Peter Tatchell has argued no prisoner should receive a whole-life sentence, including serial killer Port.
