The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers

Elizabeth Bathory tortured and killed hundreds of women between 1590-1610. Her torture methods included:

beating the servant girls with a heavy cudgel

sticking pins into the upper and lower lips of the girls, into other parts of their flesh, and under their fingernails

having the women stripped naked and forcing them to perform their household duties in full view of men

forcing the servants to go on fasts with nothing to eat or drink for days

having cold water poured over naked girls, while they were outside in the cold and snow, until they froze to death

having girls submerged in a frozen river in winter - having iron keys and coins heated red-hot and forcing girls to hold them

- having naked girls smeared with honey and then forcing them to stand outside for twenty-four hours and endure bites from insects

- lacing paper between the girls’ toes and setting it on fire (called “star kicking”)

- putting her fingers into one girl’s mouth and pulling until it split at the corners

- setting pubic hair on fire

- thrusting the hot iron into the face of the servant if a collar was not properly pressed

- scorching girls with fiery swords or tongs

- pouring scalding water on servant girls

- biting and ripping out the flesh of the servants

- cutting off fingers with scissors

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