Monster - Sex~Kitten.net

I've been fascinated with Wournos' story since seeing Nick Broomfield's documentary on her from the early 90's and I'd always felt that Wournos was more of a victim and not the evil man-hating serial killer the media tries to paint her as. "Monster" just proves me right.

Even before I saw the film, my main complaint about the film was with its title. If Wournos' film is called "Monster", then what, I wonder, will the Gary Ridgeway story be called?

Ridgeway, also known as the Green River Killer, was finally brought to justice last year after confessing to the murders of over 48 women (many believe the number is much higher) in the early eighties. Most of his victims were prostitutes whose bodies were dumped in the Green River. Ridgeway often strangled and raped his victims and claimed he preyed on prostitutes because "he hates them and did not want to pay for their services." He claims they were easy to pick on because their disappearences would go unnoticed for long periods of time. Despite being a religious fanatic who complained about prostitutes in his neighborhood, he had a voracious sexual appetite and often took advantage of their services. Many of his victims were young teenagers and one, Mary Meehan, was eight months pregnant.

Ridgeway started murdering in 1982, and by 1983 had already racked up 14 victims. When many reports of Ridgeway's truck were seen leaving with girls who later turned up missing, police questioned Ridgway at his home, but of course, he denied any wrongdoing and was not further pursued. He was later taken in by police in 1987, had his home searched, but released by police due to insufficent evidence. That was TWICE police had Ridgeway, and TWICE he was set free to continue to murder. He was not brought to justice until last year when he finally confessed to 48 of the murders. Why did it take law enforcement so long to find a many they had already suspected? The laziness and apathy of the police work in this case is frightening...and one might suspect that if Ridgeway's victims were not prostitutes, then this case may have been solved a lot earlier.

Due to a plea bargain agreement, Ridgway was spared the death penalty, a decision that angered (and rightfully so) many of the families of the victims. If anyone deserves to die, it is Gary Ridgeway, the worst serial killer of our time.

On the other hand we have Aileen Wournos, the Florida prostitute who killed 9 of her client during the eighties. Wournos claims that she killed them out of self-defense and in the only murder she went to trial for, that of Richard Mallory, it was self-defense. Mallory had a history of sex crimes and rape, but during Wournos' trial for his murder, that evidence was covered up. Instead due to a poor defense by her pothead lawyer, Aileen was forced to plead guilty to his murder and received the death penalty. In 2001, she was executed.

All of Wournos' life, she had been a victim and let down by people she loved. Abandonded by her mother at a young age, she was raped and sexually abused by a family friend throughout her childhood. Let down by her family, Wournos started turning tricks at age 13 to support herself and never held down a normal job. She was often homeless and unhappy until she met Tyria Moore (called 'Selby' in "Monster"), her lesbian lover. Though in "Monster", Wournos' murders are portrayed as being done for "love" (or money to support Selby), she claims they were in self-defense. After all, it is common for street prostitutes to be raped and threatened while working, but Worunos did one thing that many don't get a chance to do. She protected herself. Instead of becoming a victim like so many before her, she fought back. And for that, she paid the ultimate price.

It is so common for us to hear about the prostitute who ends up murdered; a nameless, faceless victim whose life was thrown away. Wournos was different in that she was sick of being pushed around, tortured, and shit on by society. She finally shattered the stereotype of prostitute as victim by turning the tables on her rapist and paid for it with her life.

In the end, Wournos pushed for her own execution. She was tired of being let down by life and the people who were supposed to help her. I just wished she could have lived long enough to see "Monster", how it shows her human side as someone who loved and tried to make a better life for herself, but was let down and turned to murder.

Gary Ridgeway, on the other hand, will live and continue to do interviews with Diane Sawyer and othernewsjournalists who find his unremorseful attitude fascinating. Why must our media continue to give psychos like this a voice when so many of their victims do not?

Ridgeway murdered 48+ women out of sheer hatred. Wournos, as "Monster" claims, murdered 9 men for love (or self-defense, as she claimed).

After reading these two stories, you tell me, who's the real "monster"?
© Libby