In recent years, the debate over whether men are truly “more evil” than women has become one of the most controversial discussions online, with users fiercely arguing about morality, behavior, and the role of gender in crime.
While characterizing one gender as more evil is a subjective claim, multiple studies indicate that differences in behavior between men and women are often rooted in a complex interplay of biology, socialization, and systemic factors.
Highlights
- A criminology expert has broken down what the data actually shows, addressing the viral debate over whether men are “more evil” than women, which has recently taken over the internet.
- While statistics reveal that men commit the majority of violent crimes globally, the expert emphasized that the reasons go far beyond simple labels, pointing instead to biology, socialization, and systemic factors.
- Challenging popular narratives, the expert also argued that the idea of “evil” may be more about perception than reality, reshaping how we understand crime and gender.
As the discourse intensifies, a criminology expert has weighed in, offering a perspective that challenges some of the internet’s boldest claims and sheds light on what science, and reality, actually indicate.
A criminology expert has shared her perspective on the controversial debate surrounding whether men are “more evil” than women
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Statistically, men are more likely to be involved in, and commit, the majority of physical violence and serious crimes.
Globally, prison populations are overwhelmingly male, and according to multiple studies, while exact figures may vary slightly, men account for approximately 90% to 95% of all convicted homicide perpetrators worldwide.
Men also commit about 90% of violent crimes globally, and are responsible for the vast majority of homicides, a**aults, and s*xual offenses.
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Research further suggests that men are more likely to use direct or “brute” methods, such as firearms, whereas women are statistically more likely to use more covert or “stealthy” methods if they engage in criminal activity.
Agreeing with the broader discourse, Dawn K. Cecil, professor of criminology at the University of South Florida, explained that “official statistics, self-reports, and other types of research consistently demonstrate that women are significantly less likely to commit crimes of violence compared to men.”
Image credits: Dawn Cecil
She shared with Bored Panda, “This finding holds both historically and cross-culturally. There have been times when we see increases in women’s arrests for certain crimes of violence (e.g., a**ault).”
“That often comes with the headline that women are more violent than ever before; yet what research in general shows is that their behavior has not changed, rather the way they respond to these acts has changed, making it more likely for them to be arrested for it.”
Dawn K. Cecil explained the potential reasons behind men committing higher rates of violent crimes and how these patterns differ from those of women
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Dawn cited how “zero tolerance laws and mandatory arrest laws for domestic violence” have contributed to an increase in arrests of women in recent years.
Addressing what “can help us understand why [men] are more likely to engage in acts of violence,” the expert attributed it to “biological factors, psychological factors, and a myriad of sociological factors.”
Cecil further explained, “The causes of crime are diverse… Men are likely to be more aggressive, [though] aggression does not equal violence, but it can be associated with violence.”
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“They may be a part of a subculture that teaches them that violence is an appropriate solution to violence; or there may be differences in how they are taught to cope with strains in their lives.”
According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, men tend to score higher on measures of physical aggression, while women may score similarly, or even higher, on verbal or relational aggression.
“Women are significantly less likely to commit crimes of violence compared to men,” according to the expert
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When asked whether women who commit serious crimes have different motivations or behavioral patterns compared to male offenders, Dawn firmly responded, “Yes… research has demonstrated that even if men and women commit the same crime, there are contextual differences.”
In her experience, she has noted differences in the “amount of harm” and “how it is carried out.”
“For women, the significant risk factors are poverty, trauma, mental health, and substance a**se,” the criminologist noted, adding, “While these same factors can also impact men’s criminal behavior, they have a more significant impact on women’s pathways to crime.”
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Dawn, who is also the author of the 2020 book Fear, Justice, and Modern True Crime, pointed to the media’s portrayal of women’s crimes as a key factor shaping public perception, noting that it often “overrepresents women’s involvement in crime—particularly m**der.”
She further argued that, “many of these depictions focus on simple motivations for crime—jealousy, greed, love, etc., thereby ignoring other factors, such as interpersonal violence,” contributing to a “distorted view of how often women commit this crime and why they do it.”
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Weighing in on the debate over whether men are “more evil” than women, Dawn stated that such discussions often “stem from a fixation on serial ki**ers.”
“There are so many media representations of serial ki**ers, both fictional and true crime, and the language utilized in those discussions is that of being evil.”
Reportedly, men score higher on measures of physical aggression, while women may score higher in verbal or relational aggression
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However, she noted that, as traditionally depicted in media, “women who have ki**ed are… presented as extra deviant and eviler than their male counterparts.”
Cecil added, “We do not expect women to commit those types of crimes, so when they do, they must be extra bad.”
She concluded, “As a criminologist, however, the label of ‘evil’ is not something I would use to describe why anyone commits crime; rather, behavior is the result of a combination of factors—psychological, biological, and environmental.”
Image credits: DC Studio/freepik (not an actual photo)
“But when we talk about it in general, the concept of ‘evil’ gives us a good descriptor for humans who do the unthinkable. It is easy for us to understand.”
The broader discussion resonated online, with one social media user echoing a similar perspective, writing, “The primary problem is the claim ignores factors like social conditioning. Even though men may commit more crimes, and more violent crimes, that doesn't necessarily mean that men are necessarily more evil. It may be a reflection on how men are conditioned and socialized.”
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“Evil is a kind of character, and behavioral theories that judge a person to be evil simply on the basis of actions are incorrect. Furthermore, it is individual people who are evil, not collections of people,” another user added.
A third netizen shared a quote by influential philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, writing, “Man in his innermost soul is merely evil; woman, however, is mean.”
“It's just a social ‘thing’ for guys to be the ones... That hardly makes them more evil in cases. There's a lot of things going on,” wrote one netizen
