Violent crime and sadistic behavior are often featured prominently in Western news and entertainment media. Many of these consumers, particularly in the United States, have become accustomed to reports of deadly school shootings, mass killings in public places like cinemas and shopping malls, and racist attacks inside community centers and houses of worship. Every day in cities and towns around the world, brutal gang warfare and acts of domestic violence tear at the fabric of social life. These types of violence are explicit, shocking, and often sensationalized, spreading fear throughout a community. They have also received plenty of attention from academics, journalists, members of law enforcement, and members of the public with an interest in crime and violent behavior.

Covert violence, on the other hand, is a type of everyday violence that exists deep in the shadows of society. Until now, these acts of murder, mischief, and mayhem have been mostly overlooked in academic and mainstream studies of criminal behavior. They are generally unnoticed by would-be victims, too—that is, until it is too late. Indeed, inconspicuousness is a common feature of these violent acts, and the perpetrators rely on others’ inattention as they plot and prepare before striking surreptitiously and then slinking back under cover.

Most reported violence involves an overt act, or an explicit and aggressive encounter between offender(s) and victim(s). In contrast, property crimes tend to be covert acts in terms of the offenders’ efforts to avoid detection and contact with victims. Most home break-ins occur in unoccupied dwellings, for example, and acts of vandalism are rarely committed in broad daylight. The clandestine aspect of covert violence defies this crime pattern, but its damage is just as devastating and potentially deadly as any other violent event. These acts of violence are committed by perpetrators who avoid drawing attention to themselves by maintaining a low profile and staying far away from the public spotlight. Not unlike many property offenses, covert acts of violence typically remain subterranean. Unlike many school shooters and rampage killers, those who commit covert violence—even deadly violence—are not interested in seeing their name in the news or their picture on the cover of People magazine.