A 2024 analysis by criminologist Enzo Yaksic highlights a surge in revenge-driven female serial killings, reaching about 50% of cases in the past decade, often linked to infidelity or abuse—contrasting with profit dominance in prior eras. Earlier research, like a 2018 Australian study of 149 homicides, found women less prone to revenge than men but noted it in intimate contexts when security felt threatened.[newsweek +1]

Evidence Gaps

No large-scale, peer-reviewed datasets confirm a precise “surge” with before-after metrics for 2010-2025; claims rely on qualitative reviews of known cases, where revenge blends with trauma or relational betrayal. Financial gain persists as primary (30-50%), with revenge secondary but rising in visibility amid better reporting of domestic violence links.[bps +2]