I am a female and I actively seek out horror. I write it too.
link Horror is my absolute favoriete genre of book and movie. I almost exclusively watch horror films in theaters.
In other words, no I don't think it's meer likely to appeal to men. I know so many women who enjoy horror very much. One of the biggest horror fans I know is female. And I also know a guy who is squeamish about horror movies. Gender doesn't dictate interests.
I feel like society tries to push certain interests on boys and girls. But I also feel like that's happening less and less.
I also think that violence doesn't have anything to do with it. I don't seek out horror films because I crave violence. I seek it out because I crave a thrill. Something to give me a rush without actually putting myself in danger.
And when I do seek out horror films to see people die it's usually because I'm in a bad mood and it's much healthier to watch fictional people suffer than go out and make real people suffer.
I feel like violence/horror films have a certain draw because it's almost fascinating to see what a person can go through and withstand. It harmlessly quenches a curiosity.