Many of these traits apply to male psychopaths too. But there are differences. In terms of occurrence rates, studies show female inmates with psychopathy make up 11-17 percent of the overall prison population, compared to their male counterparts at 25-30 percent.

This may be because female psychopaths are likely to be more relationally or verbally aggressive than physically violent, and therefore commit fewer violent crimes than male psychopaths. This might help explain the initially surprising fact that women with psychopathy are found to be less likely to commit murder than non-psychopathic women.

Female psychopaths can also be jealous and parasitic, meaning they feel entitled to live off other people, using threat and coercion to get support.