Are Aspies Violent?

Are Aspies Violent? That's like asking if tall people are violent. Sure, some tall people are violent. But whether or not they're tall has nothing to do with it.

Sure, some Aspies (those with Asperger's Syndrome) are violence. But most are not, and any violent tendencies would be labeled with another disorder and not be exclusive in any way to Asperger's.

Many people with Asperger's are the sweetest most considerate people you'll ever meet. When I was a kid (I'm Aspie), I found it upsetting to step on an ant, because I felt they had as much right to existence as me. I was upset to find out that sometimes you couldn't avoid stepping on them, and it took me years to come to grips with that fact (basically, I outgrew it).

I've had dogs that I have trained and never hit, even though when I was a kid, family members would sometimes hit the dog. However, I found that positive reinforcement went a LONG way, and I was able to teach my dog to do several tricks without hitting even once.

I've seen some discussion about the possibility of males with Aspergers having a tendency towards violence. However, I think it is simply a reaction to depression, whereas clinically depressed women tend to internalize their anger and take it out on themselves, like overeating, overspending, etc. Are Aspies more depressed than the general population? It would totally depend on their support system, wouldn't it?

I am sad to report that there was recently an Aspie Muslim who decided to commit suicide and take others out with him, i.e. terrorism. Clearly Islam condemns suicide, but as we know, sometimes people become very desperate or obsessed with faulty reasons to commit this horrendous crime. I really hate to mention this, but here goes:


"...the 22-year-old, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, admitted the attack on the Giraffe restaurant in May this year.

...Friends say that as a boy he tended to retreat into a fantasy world. He was obsessed with James Bond, and he would imagine himself as a super-spy....

friends claim his mental health deteriorated after he split with his first serious girlfriend. He harmed himself and was admitted to local mental health services." - Guardian.co.uk


What do you think? Do you think that Aspies are any more inclined towards violence than the general population? Why or why not?