FIVE EVIL WOMEN—Joanna Bourke

About this episode

The episode explores the lives and crimes of five notorious women and the societal perceptions of female violence.

Why do certain women become icons of evil? This book offers the first comparative, non-sensationalist account of five of the most reviled women in the modern Anglophone world: Myra Hindley, Rosemary West, Aileen Wuornos, Karla Homolka, and Karla Faye Tucker. It examines their lives, crimes, and cultural reception in the United Kingdom, United States, and Canada, asking how violence committed by women is understood, judged, and remembered. Going beyond moral outrage or tabloid headlines, the book explores how concepts of “evil” are shaped by history, belief systems, and social context. Through historical and ethical reflections, it offers a deeper, more critical engagement with female violence and considers how society should respond to those who commit acts of unimaginable harm. FIVE EVIL WOMEN: Hindley, West, Wournos, Homolka, Tucker—Joanna Bourke

People in this episode

Host: Dan Zupansky

Guest: Joanna Bourke

Topics covered

• female violence
• icons of evil
• true crime
• cultural reception
• historical reflections
• moral outrage

Keywords

• evil women
• true crime history
• Joanna Bourke
• Myra Hindley
• Aileen Wuornos
• cultural context
• female criminals

Mentioned in this episode

Places: United Kingdom, United States, Canada

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