The Most Targeted Victims of Serial Killers – And Why Vulnerability Matters By Sensei Liam Musiak

When people think of serial killers, they often picture random victims — anyone, anywhere. The truth is far more calculated. Serial killers don’t usually strike at random. They target specific groups of people they believe they can control, deceive, or overpower.

Looking at the history of serial crime across the world, certain victim groups appear again and again. These are the people killers see as “easy prey,” and it’s why self-defence and awareness must be taught not just in the dojo, but in everyday life.

1. Women

Women, particularly young women under 30, have been the most frequent targets in recorded cases. Ted Bundy, Peter Sutcliffe, Gary Ridgway — the list goes on. These killers didn’t just attack women at random; they targeted women walking alone, hitchhiking, or in vulnerable environments. Bundy even admitted that college girls and students were his preferred victims because of their perceived trust and naivety.

2. Sex Workers

One of the most tragic realities of serial crime is how many victims were sex workers. Jack the Ripper in Victorian London, Sutcliffe in the north of England, and Ridgway in Seattle all focused heavily on this group. Why? Because killers believed they could “get away with it.” Police and society too often ignored the disappearances of sex workers, giving predators the confidence to keep killing.

3. Children and Teenagers

Children are among the most vulnerable targets. Predators like Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, or Albert Fish in America, took advantage of that innocence. Teenagers were also common targets, especially in the 1960s and 70s when hitchhiking was more common. Edmund Kemper picked up teenage hitchhikers, using their trust and youth as weaknesses.

4. The Elderly

Physically weaker and often isolated, elderly victims have also been heavily targeted. Harold Shipman — the UK’s most prolific serial killer — murdered more than 200 elderly patients while working as a doctor. Killers like Dorothea Puente in the US targeted elderly boarders for both vulnerability and financial gain.

5. Gay Men

Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Bruce McArthur all preyed upon gay men. These crimes were not only horrific but often went unnoticed for far too long, especially in decades when social stigma made it harder for victims in the LGBTQ+ community to come forward. Predators exploited this silence and isolation to continue killing.

The Common Thread – Vulnerability

What unites all of these groups is perceived vulnerability.

• Physically weaker.

• More trusting.

• Socially marginalised.

• Less likely (in the killer’s eyes) to be “missed.”

This is the ugly truth about predatory behaviour: killers don’t want a fair fight. They look for the easiest possible victims, those least able to resist or whose cases might not be taken seriously.

The Lesson

The lesson here is not to live in paranoia, but in prepared awareness. We must:

• Teach children to trust their instincts and avoid isolation.

• Encourage women to understand deception tactics (like Bundy’s fake injuries).

• Support the elderly and vulnerable so they are never left unprotected.

• Stand with communities — like sex workers and the LGBTQ+ community — who are often left unheard.

As a Sensei and criminologist, my mission is clear: self-defence is not just kicks and punches. It’s awareness, prevention, and refusing to be the “easy target” predators rely on. We may not be able to stop evil from existing — but we can make it harder for it to succeed.