Sunday, September 5, 2010

Profiling A Psychopath Series Part 1: Drew Peterson



According to the Institute of Relational Harm and Public Psychopathy Education, there are approximately six million men in the United states with psychopathic traits. In my opinion, former Bolingbrook police Sergeant Drew Peterson, awaiting trial for the murder of his third wife Kathleen Savio and with the disappearance of his current wife Stacy Peterson (still missing), each met their fate at the hands of Peterson. With detail and precision luring Stacy and Kathleen into a relationship, the outcome, inevitable harm.




Sandra L. Brown, M.A., Author and CEO of the Institute, a psychotherpist has worked in psychopatholgy for over 20 years.


Within intimate partner violence and homicide we only see the aftermath of the offender's behavior or action; the outcome results in a crime or death, but no one ever really explains and identifies a violent offender within a relationship. Until now. In my opinion the work of Sandra Brown, M.A. and the Institute is the piece of the missing puzzle as it directly relates to psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists.

"Psychopaths are highly pleasure motivated and excesssively seek out what they enjoy. This includes lots of high-status posessions, the need to be constantly entertained and distracted, hyper-sexual, wanting to be dominant with their social circles, and by all means requiring lots of power."

So why have I decided to disect and discuss only one man out of approximately six million in the weeks ahead? Because I am hoping it will assist first responders, prosecutors, social workers and clergy directing the more than six million victims to safety, when they understand to whom a victim of intimate partner violence is joined like super glue at the hip.

Victims of intimate partner violence have been at war for too, long, time's up!

[Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visit http://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/  She is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.  Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talk http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr. Laurie Roth  http://www.therothshow.com/) ]

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

After reading this article and reading about all the things that have either been written about or Drew has said, I seriously believe the man is a psychopath. Until we choose to acknowledge those around us who share these same characteristics and get involved in recognizing and DEALING with getting help for the victims, (or soon to be...) to get away, sadly these situations will keep playing out over and over again. Please, in honor of the sacrifice these women made with their lives for the sake of their children, look around you and see if anyone YOU know is exhibiting this same behavior and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!! Susan's Book is an excellent way to get the potentially life saving information to someone you love or care about. Don't turn a blind eye or think it's going to get better, acknowledge the situation and offer a helping hand or at least try. Think about what Kathy and Stacy's families live with everyday, thinking...."I should have done something more"....please don't live with that regret or have someone NOT living now because you didn't or chose not to do anything......

Sandra L. Brown, MA said...

Understanding the dynamic of the relationship really helps us to understand the disorder in the psychopath/pathological. For so long, only the psychopaths have been studied. But what we learn most about them (and helps us identify future victims and his future behavior) has a lot to do with what happens in his intimate relationships. Pathology is often best seen up close and personal within the relationship and makes it easier for those on the outside to be able to identify pathological behaviors. From the ability to identify, Public Pathology Education can occur as we dissect a pathological relationship and break down the dynamics so others can follow along.

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