Women as offenders of the crime of murder - from a historical overview to a current days in N.Macedonia

Understanding the etiology of violent crimes, especially murder, has always been challenging. especially in the context of the offender’s gender. Women are commonly considered to be more gentle, caring and sensitive than men. They are believed to be less prone to committing violent crimes, such as murder, and the general public is often surprised when they do. Despite women’s sensitive nature, there are no divergent opinions among legal scholars that women, throughout history, have been convicted as the perpetrators of violent crimes, including murder, but to a much lesser extent than men. The historical overview testifies about violent crimes committed by women in the role of serial killers, harsh murders featuring extreme modus operandi, etc. Generally, murders and acts of violence committed by women are not initiated by the need to establish control or supremacy, which is typical in cases involving male perpetrators. In criminological theory, the most common explanation relates to women’s biopsychological constitution, which is often offerred as justification for the committed act. In criminological theory, the analysis of women as perpetrators of murder is often one-sided, considering that these crimes are frequently observed from the perspective of women’s position as victims of violence. This paper aims to investigate the position of women-murderer in current North Macedonian legislation. The authors endeavour to provide an objective account on this matter, notwithstanding the empathy for female offenders who committed murders after accumulated suffering. The authors aim to provide a wider picture about the criminological explanations of murders committed by women, to present statistical data on this issue, and to address the current situation in North Macedonia