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Notre perception des auteurs d'homicide sexuel a depuis longtemps été influencée par la médiatisation de leur crime les plus extrêmes, ceux qui se distinguent par leurs degrés de violence et de cruauté. En conséquence, l'opinion du public a été façonnée en partie par les questionnements que peuvent provoquer de telles descriptions : Comment une personne peut-elle être si détachée émotionnellement et motivée par des besoins si destructeurs ? Comment ces individus peuvent-ils obtenir du plaisir à travers des actes si violents ? Tandis que ces descriptions reposent sur des événements qui ont vraiment eu lieu, cette image des auteurs d'homicide sexuel n'est pas un portrait représentatif de qui ils sont vraiment. Bien que les auteurs d'homicide sexuel sadique et sériel existent, ils représentent l'arbre qui cache la forêt. Dans cet entretien, les psychologues Jonathan James et Jean Proulx dressent l'état des lieux sur ce phénomène d'un point de vue épidémiologique, indiquent l'impact que peut avoir ce type de crime sur la vie en communauté, définissent ce à quoi il correspond, décrivent les caractéristiques des différents types d'auteurs d'homicide sexuel, fournissent des indications quant à leur risque de récidive et des recommandations concernant leur traitement. Our perception of sexual murderers has long been influenced by the mediatization of the most spectacular of these crimes–crimes that stand out by virtue of their extreme cruelty and violence, and by the degradation of the victims. Consequently, public opinion has been partly forged by the questions raised by such descriptions: How can anyone be so insensitive to others and driven by such destructive urges? How can these individuals derive any positive experience from such extremely violent acts? But although they are anchored in actual events, these impressions of sexual murderers are not accurate portraits of these individuals' true nature. While sadistic and serial sexual murderers do in fact exist, they nevertheless remain the threes that hide the forest. Through this interview, our objectives are to take stock of the phenomenon from an epidemiological point of view, to indicate the impact that this type of crime can have on community life, to define what it corresponds to, to describe the characteristics of the different types of sexual homicide offenders, but also to provide indications as to their risk of recidivism and recommendations concerning their clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé Cet article proposera un modèle illustratif envisageant la dynamique des actes sériels violents et posera l’hypothèse de l’intrication entre ceux-ci, la personnalité des sujets et les mécanismes à l’œuvre dans le processus identificatoire. Nous nous appuierons sur le paradigme de la « Mélancolie », en ce qu’elle nous renseigne sur le processus identificatoire « en négatif » et la relation objectale, afin d’éclairer les dynamiques pouvant être à l’œuvre lors d’agressions sérielles sous-tendues par une dimension psychopathique de la personnalité. Les difficultés rencontrées pour obtenir des données exploitables dans ce champ de recherche en France déterminèrent la forme de ce travail, principalement théorique, illustré par le biais de quelques vignettes cliniques de sujets rencontrés au cours de notre pratique clinique et expertale. Objectives This paper intended to offer a theoretical model about the psychodynamic at stake during serial sexual offenses. We first focused our attention on a marginal violent act, cannibalism, in order to highlight some aspects of the identifying process at work within it. As put by Meloy, the act would look like a primitive psychotic attempt to “master” internalization failures at early stage of the psychological development. We then, extended our hypothesis to sexual serial acts, as we think that it is not an ingested body part, but the internalization of the interaction between the offender and the victim that truly matters, a narcissistic triumph felt by the offender that would provide a sense of completeness. Methods Due to considerable difficulties in accessing those kinds of data in France, we could not develop an empirical study based on enough patients to be a scientifically valid model. Our model will thus be a theoretical and illustrative one, with case studies of individuals met throughout our clinical and forensic experience. Results The melancholia paradigm was used to illustrate the identifying process, and we made a parallel with antisocial behaviors found in psychopathy, the latter being characterized by a failure of internalizations, and use of violent acting outs. Those violent behaviors could be seen as a way to stem a psychotic breakdown and preserve the Grandiose-Self structure of personality. Where the melancholic would take his ego as an object dedicated to be sacrificed in order to preserve the environment of a catastrophe, the “psychopathic” individual would use a self-object within the environment as a sacrifice to preserve his own Grandiosity. Conclusions This model will serve as an illustrative way of thinking the quality of the interaction that happens during sexual serial offenses. Further researches are needed in this field in France. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Relapses or recidivist crimes by serial killers interpellate the notion of serial killings. After a theoretical review of serial killings, the clinical, psychopathological and psychodynamic aspects of serial killers are reviewed. A study of clinical cases seems to indicate a homogeneous group of serial killers with a particular syndrome. Their criminal and psychological itinerary shows a repetition of murderous cycles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]