Warning: This article contains discussion of rape and sexual abuse which some readers may find distressing.
A female serial killer who is the focus of a brand new Netflix documentary made headlines for killing seven men in Florida, but much of what happened outside the documentary is almost more shocking.
Aileen Wuornos, known as the ‘Queen of the Serial Killers’, is the focus of a new Netflix documentary Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, which is topping the charts for the streamer in the UK and is third worldwide.
Wuornos was a sex worker who killed seven men between 1989 and 1990, claiming that they were not premeditated and that she did so in self-defence, stating that all seven had raped or attempted to rape her.
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She had a troubling childhood that led to this, however, much of which is not included in the documentary.
Abandoned and abused
Wuornos was abandoned by her mum, leaving her and her older brother Keith to her grandparents.
Her mother Diane was only 16 when she was born, with her father Leo being 19.
After going into the custody of her grandparents, Aileen was abused, claiming that her grandfather sexually abused her.
In addition to this, she would later go on to have a sexual relationship with her brother.
Murders 'make sense'
Speaking about her to The Tampa Bay Times, one of Aileen’s close friends Dawn Botkins said she had the ‘worst life’ of anyone she had ever met.
She added that she was not surprised when she learned of her murders, saying: “If you had only been there and seen how terribly she was treated all her life, it only makes sense.”
Aileen became a sex worker at the age of 11 before making this her full-time profession at 15. In addition to her tough childhood, Aileen’s brother Keith whom she said she loved ‘very much’ died of cancer at the age of just 21.
Further tragedy
The Los Angeles Times also reported that Alieen's father, whom she had no relationship with, died in 1976 by suicide in prison after having been found guilty of kidnapping and raping a child.
Aileen said she was raped at least ‘30 times’, and had sex with between 200,000 and 250,000 people in her life, depending on the interview.
Eventually, she was caught for her crimes and was executed in 2002.
Several viewers of the doc found themselves feeling bad for Aileen due to her life, with one posting on Twitter: “The new Aileen Wuornos documentary p*ssed me off so bad.
"She had an awful life. She was a victim of misogyny, sexism and homophobia. Didn't deserved to be on death row.
“F*ck the judge, the prosecutor, the reporters and anyone who didn't showed her a little bit of sympathy. RIP.”
Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers is available to stream on Netflix now.
Topics: Netflix, True Crime, Crime, TV and Film, Film, Documentaries
Michael Slavin