I am gathering research on different topics related to psychopathology (impact on lives, economic impact in society, victim suicide related to financial losses, neurobiology, etc).

I found little material on victimology.

In another forum, maybe more geared to the emotionally battered female victims, I believe there was an impression that victims tended to be on the typical (and externally visible) emotionally fragile type. I don't find research backing this nor am I one - quite the opposite. But then again, I'm not a recurrent victim: less than 2% of my relationships, which is less than the prevalence on the population.

Hi Hegin,

I think the area of victims is a very broad one. Most of the writing tends to focus on the female with a male psychopath which can lead to some error of thinking.

For example people who are victims in a work environment really couldn't all be classified as having emotional issues. I think they get emotional issues after the incident which is a different thing than what I think you are asking about.

I don't really know how to answer more of your questions without more information from you and your research goals. I interviewed psychopaths and while they do have a type it is a very broad range. Relationships in person vs. work type ones are entirely different.

I hope I can help more based on some additional information from you.

Di

Hi Di,

This is what I noticed by reading study cases. It seems to me the methodologically proper approach would be to analyse the types of " tools for the job" that specific psychopath needs. This is what will define the victimology, I believe.

The one I was associated with had three types of victims, consistent along over two decades:

1. "the fast buck": he constructed himself as a digital celebrity and would "borrow" money by private message from his admirers;

2. "the big buck": he worked these people longer, like his last boss, whom I personally got to know. The money stolen would be around a couple of thousand dollars

3. the women. He married two, I was the last and it lasted exactly three weeks (until he was arrested, I did my research and found out the whole thing). We were identity tools. He needed us to hide and "play normal" in society. Among our community, where I am quite well known (which is certainly why he chose me), published, etc., all his fake stories were automatically believed. After all, he was "Hegin's boyfriend/husband"

So, no, there was no emotional abuse whatsoever. I feel most female victims on these forums are emotional victims of the relationship. I planned suicide because of the blow this relationship caused me: financially, professionally, etc. I am a workaholic and my work/career/sport career is the most important thing for me. He screwed those. I don't have any emotion concerning him (he never existed: how can I miss a fictional creature?). But any blow on my career is something very destructive on me. That is why I registered here and elsewhere. My friends believed I needed support...